Survivor says Livestrong changed life

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Scot Maitland went to the doctor earlier this year thinking he would be getting a gallstone removed. As it turned out, it was something much more serious.

“When they went to remove it, they found it was a tumor,” said Maitland.

His life changed instantly. 

He had no idea how to handle cancer and no insurance to help him.

“There is no class that tells you when you get cancer how to handle it," he said.

It was Livestrong that helped him handle it.

Livestrong and the Lance Armstrong Foundation helped him finance his surgery and provided counseling as he began his battle against cancer.

“For people like me and my family, Livestrong has changed our lives,” said Maitland.

But Livestrong is now undergoing changes of its own.

As controversy swirls around his cycling career, Lance Armstrong has stepped down as chairman of Livestrong.

In a statement released Wednesday morning, he says the resignation is to help protect the foundation from suffering any negative effects of the controversy.

For Maitland, the resignation is disappointing but respectable.

“I have more respect for him stepping down and putting Livestrong first," Maitland said.

As fans and critics argue about Armstrong’s legacy that now sits in limbo, Maitland said Armstrong’s cycling accomplishments are clearly separated from his cancer contributions.

“When you walk into the Livestrong building, I remember seeing just one quote from Lance, but everything else is about people who have cancer and who are living with cancer.”

While some label Armstrong a hero and others label him a cheater, Maitland associated him with his most important legacy.

“In my mind, Lance Armstrong is a great philanthropist," he said.

Livestrong reports pulling in just under $50 million in 2011 and says the organization has serviced 2.5 million cancer patients since 1997.

Maitland still wears the yellow Livestrong bracelet for one reason only.

“This is a way to let people know I survived cancer," he said, showing it off.

On Wednesday, 24 Hour Fitness' San Francisco office issued this statement, in regard to its connection to Armstrong:

"24 Hour Fitness remains committed to helping our members improve their lives through fitness and does not condone the use of performance-enhancing drugs or procedures.

"Given the evidence surrounding Lance Armstrong’s alleged actions, we have determined that our business relationship with Armstrong no longer aligns with our company’s mission and values. Over the coming weeks, we plan to remove the Lance Armstrong brand from our six co-branded fitness clubs and further improve these facilities to enable and inspire our members to achieve their fitness goals."