Patrice Brisindi. Photos: Kevin Mackinnon
In 2021 the doctors figured Patrice Brisindi had roughly five years to live – and that was only because of new drugs that increased the normal one-year life expectancy of those with this particular stage four, metatastic cancer to about five years. Well, for one in five patients, anyway.
Brisindi is bucking the odds, but not for the first time. The 55-year-old from Montreal, Canada, competed in his first triathlon in 2006 and would qualify for Kona in 2011. He had a tough time on the Big Island that year, and after seeing the doctors on his return, they would eventually determine that he had breast cancer – rare in men, but becoming more common. Because men aren’t as attuned to check for signs, by the time it’s found, it’s often deadly, Brisindi says.
After surgery, and a year of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the doctors felt he had beaten the disease. He hadn’t.
“In 2021, I got a tumor in my neck and lung,” Brisindi says. “They said it had come back — well, it was always there, but I thought it was gone. And now it had spread everywhere. They said it was stage four metastatic, incurable. Normally, they give you one year. But with new pills from Pfizer, they said let’s try a combination of those pills and an injection every month. It’s a cycle of four weeks — three weeks taking the pills and injection, then one week off — for the rest of my life. They said the average is five years. But they said, you know, keep training, stay in shape, eat well, and we think you’ll go more than five years.”
Determined to beat the odds, Brisindi continues the monthly treatments, but also takes natural supplements and continues to train hard. The training helps him recover from the chemotherapy.
“For the next week, I have pain in all my muscles and joints, and nausea,” he says. “I have to deal with that. Training helps me reduce the side effects.”
Brisindi had to stop working as a bus driver in 2023 due to the effects of his therapy, but remains determined to get to Kona one more time.
“I decided this would be my last year for the full distance, because I have to deal with the treatment and I have to put in double the effort to get into good shape — similar to where I was before, but it’s very hard and sometimes it’s tough,” he says. “I push, I try, I work hard, but it demands a lot. So I’m here to take the shot, and we’ll see.”
Brisindi is also determined to show others that they can continue to strive for their dreams after being diagnosed with cancer.
“I want to be an example that no matter what — even if you’re diagnosed with something incurable — life doesn’t stop,” he says. “I don’t have cancer in my mind. I wake up in the morning and think of the positive things and do what I used to do before. I keep the same routine. I don’t sit on the couch and say, ‘Oh my God, I have cancer.’ No — just keep living and doing what we love most, our passion.”
Brisindi qualified for Kona in 2022, but had to withdraw from that race because he was too sick to compete. He was on the Big Island for the race, but was relegated to watching. On Saturday, here in The Woodlands, he’ll look to try and earn another starting spot in Kona.
“When I’m in Kona, I feel like I’m home,” he says. “It’s beautiful. There’s something special there. Racing there is the biggest challenge for me, but at the same time, I feel at peace.”
We’ll be watching to see if Brisindi can achieve that dream at IRONMAN Texas this weekend.
Patrice Brisindi’s Ceepo Viper
Brisindi is riding the 2026 version of the Viper
The bike is equipped with SRAM Red 1X components with a 10-28 cassette and 50 tooth chainring
He's riding a FFWD Falcon disc wheel and a FFWD RYOT 77 with DTswiss 240 ceramic hub. In terms of tires, he's going with Pirelli PZero Zero RS clinchers in 28 mm
Brisindi is set up with lots of hydration and fueling options, including an aero set up on the frame, along with ...
... lots more on the front end attached to the Ron Aeron cockpit bundle.
... including an Xlabs torpido on the top of the BTA bottle mount and Precision fuel gels bottle underneath
There are also two bottles attached to the Fizik Aeris Long Distance R1 saddle
The Favero Assioma Duo power pedals are attached to 165 mm cranks