DRIVEN TO CURE - THE ANDREW LEE STORY

from Motorhead July 2021 WEB MP

by Lou Cicerone

MERRIMACK IS BACK!!! CRUISE NIGHTS RETURN

The Andrew Lee Story

By ALLEN HARRIS

Andrew Lee was just a normal 19 year old. He was full of hope and joy. He loved cars and was just heading into the University of New Hampshire for his fi rst year of college, looking toward a bright future without a care in the world. He was just like all of us, a brother. Filled with images of a car he would one day work hard to earn.

That all changed May 15, 2015 when Andrew complained of excruciating pain. He was rushed to the hospital and after many tests was informed he had a very rare cancer known as HLRCC. It was as Stage 4, it wouldn’t respond to treatment, and there was no known cure. He wasn’t given long to live.

What is HLRCC? It’s a hereditary form of cancer that individuals develop tumors containing smooth muscle tissue in the skin. It can aff ect diff erent areas and, like in Andrew’s case, can increase the risk of kidney cancer. It aff ects about 300 people worldwide, but as Andrew found out, it’s often times misdiagnosed.

Andrew wasn’t ready to give up. Mass General Hospital referred him to the National Cancer Institute at NIH in Bethesda Maryland. There they had an experimental treatment that could be used to prolong his life. He was the 42nd person to undergo the procedure.

Facing a diffi cult process, Andrew’s father Bruce, decided to ask him what he wanted. Andrew replied, a Nissan GT-R. This was no small feat. As many of you know the GT-R is not a cheap vehicle, but Bruce buckled down and three weeks after being diagnosed Andrew was driving his dream car.

The GT-R became Andrew’s cure, an escape from the illness ravaging his body. As he began to attend car shows and events, word of his story began to spread. Soon Andrew was a notable face at events, being met with questions about his illness and people looking to show support. He realized that his new vehicle, mated with his story, could be the catalyst to awareness

Photos source: www.driventocure.org

to this often misdiagnosed illness and maybe one day even a cure.

Together with his father they formed Driven to Cure and suddenly cars and cancer awareness was a cause bigger than himself. Famous names were getting on board to make his GT-R perfection. With his new trademark orange wide body car he began to tour it wherever he could spread the story. Kato, the creator of the Liberty Walk widebody on the car, came out to support Andrew at SEMA. Even Richard Petty and Chip Foose came out to share their story with the car.

Then a greater event happened. People who were suffering from misdiagnosed HLRCC were coming forward and getting treatment before things progressed. Andrew was saving lives.

Sadly on April 21st, 2019, surrounded by his family, Andrew lost his battle with cancer.

This would not be the end of Andrew’s story though. His father Bruce stepped into the driver’s seat. Before this whole thing he wasn’t a car guy, but suddenly he was surrounded not just the community, but the car world welcoming him into the fold. All wanting to support the cause, bearing Andrew’s defiant license plate “F CANCR.”

Driven to Cure has now raised a million dollars for cancer research and building awareness for this rare illness. With this awareness many began to realize the cancer they were diagnosed with was wrong and it allowed them to seek help before it was too late. Andrew was part of 8 separate trials, giving more and more people a way to fight and in some cases now, even beat their diagnosis before it began. What was once a death sentence was now, in some cases, one procedure away from cancer free.

Andrew’s story is a story of hope. It’s a lesson of what our car community represents. The passion to stand up and make a difference, defiant in the face of adversity and overcoming obstacles. It’s a testament to what is great about our community. A community as hard as steel, welded together by fire, and now, Driven to Cure.

If you’re interested in showing your support, head over to https://www. driventocure.org/