Participate in Alpe d’HuZes. Three years ago, that was the last thing Michael Kops from Breda wanted to check off his bucket list. He had colon cancer and was believed to live only a few more years. After a successful operation, the tide turned and there is hope. Together with his daughters Dieke and Evie, he stormed the famous mountain in France again on Thursday.
“A lot better”, answers 45-year-old Michael Kops from Breda, when asked how he is doing now. Omroep Brabant spoke to the resident of Breda in 2019 at the Alpe d’Huzes event in France, where money is collected annually for cancer research. “Then I had a maximum of four years to live. The operation changed that prospect.”
“The tumors are out of my body. That feels good.”
The operation was in 2021. “Three years ago the tumors were still in my body. Although they were well controlled, I had no pain or other discomfort. After the operation, the tumors disappeared from my body. That feels good.”
The operation used a technique that had never been applied to the type of colon cancer with organ metastases that Michael had. “My body was clean at that time, except for one metastasis. Then the doctor made an exception. And that worked out well.”
Michael’s future looks brighter. He does, however, have a hand in hand. “There is a good chance that cancer will grow again at some point. That can be in the near, but also in the distant future.”
“I’m fit enough to go up the mountain at least once.”
In recent days, suitcases have been packed, hiking boots polished and bicycle chains lubricated in their home in Breda. Together with his wife Karlijn and their daughters Evie (14) and Dieke (12) they traveled to Bourg d’Oisans in France this weekend.
There lies the alpine giant Alpe d’Huez, waiting for a Dutch enclave to bring the money collected for cancer research across the finish line. Cycling or walking. “The question was whether I would have recovered from the surgery in time. I feel fit enough to cycle up the mountain at least once.”
In 2019, Michael conquered the mountain alone. Fighting against himself, his thoughts, the disease and the alpine giant. Giving up was not an option. This year he is cycling with his youngest daughter Dieke (12). His eldest daughter Evie walks with Grandpa to the top. Michael is proud of his family and his team who raised 12,500 euros for cancer research.
“Across the finish line together. That’s a nice tribute to my mother.”
When Michael rode up the mountain during Alpe d’HuZes three years ago, he also saw children cycling up. ‘In the future my children will cycle uphill to honor me. How beautiful it would be to conquer the mountain together one day,” it flashed through his head. This year it will happen.
Michael has another reason. “Shortly after the last edition of Alpe d’HuZes, my mother died of cancer. On her deathbed I promised to cycle for her one more time. Together we will pay my mother a beautiful tribute. At the finish there will certainly be a tear flow.”
Thursday’s grueling climb will be an ordeal on all fronts. “I have been fighting my illness for a long time. Maybe I will have to fight it again. I will not shy away from that.”
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