Salt Lake City is preparing to receive the Olympic torch, which will signify the beginning of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. Many significant people will carry the torch to Salt Lake City.

Who gets to carry the torch? Maybe a TV or sports personality or a movie or recording star. One thing is for sure - an important person gets to carry it. On Dec. 26, David Ollendike carried the torch on part of its journey. He carried it on Webster Avenue, between 167th and 169th Streets, in the Bronx.

Ollendike is the second son of Garden City residents Rose and George Ollendike. He has a sister Melissa and a brother, Chris. Ollendike is a 1991 Garden City High School graduate. He grew up in the village playing soccer, baseball and all the sports that were around when he was a youngster. In high school, Ollendike played varsity lacrosse and went on to graduate from Salisbury University in Maryland.

So why did David get to run with the torch? I know why but spoke with Peter Costello, a seventh-grader at the Garden City Middle School. Peter and his family are close friends of all the Ollendikes. Peter was on Webster Avenue Dec. 26 to watch his hero carry the torch. Peter remembers five and a half years ago when David was diagnosed with testicular cancer. He learned firsthand what it meant to fight for one's life. David struggled through disappointments and treatments and fought all the way. To Peter, David is a hero. The families celebrated David's fifth anniversary as a cancer survivor in May 2001.

I am a strong advocate for testicular cancer awareness. Each year I present a seminar to Garden City High School students about breast and testicular cancers. David comes back and tells all the seniors about himself. He is real - he reminds the young men of how fragile life is and how they can do a preventative testicular self-exam for early detection. To me David is a hero. Visit his website at Costa's cure@www.costacure.com.

For David to carry the Olympic torch was the affirmation of my thoughts - only an important person does get to carry the Olympic torch! Congratulations David, you are a special and very important person.