Published Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2001, in the San Jose Mercury News

LOUIE BONPUA
AGE: 36
HEIGHT: 5-foot-7
WEIGHT: 152 pounds
PERSONAL: Single
OCCUPATION: Program manager, Cadence Design Systems in San Jose
BACKGROUND: Since May 1999, Bonpua has competed in six Olympic-distance triathlons, and in a number 10K runs, long bike rides and competitive swims -- a feat made more astonishing by the fact he's battling leukemia. When he was diagnosed three years ago, his white cell count was 125,000. Normal is between 3,000 and 12,000. His form of cancer can be terminal without a bone marrow transplant -- a procedure he can't bank on because of a shortage of Asian donors. In the meantime, a new experimental drug (STI-571) is keeping his white blood cells in check. Two years ago, after six rounds of chemotherapy, Bonpua weighed 92 pounds and was unable to walk on his own. In August, his goal will be to finish the Ironman Canada Triathlon in under 17 hours.
REGIMEN: Bonpua trains six days a week with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team-in-Training Program. His solo schedule includes three one- to two-mile swims per week and three trips to the gym for weight training. When the team trains together on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, the group focuses on two of the three triathlon events, swimming, running and cycling. Bonpua continues to work full time. He mentors children with cancer at Stanford Children's Hospital.
RESULTS: ``This life sentence has given me the courage to live as fully as I can. And ironically,'' he says, ``I'm in better shape with cancer than I was before.'' He says the exceptional friends he's made along the way are icing on the cake.
OBSTACLES: Side effects to his medication. They include dizziness, fatigue and joint pain. ``And I hate going to the gym.''
GOALS: ``For people -- especially the Asian community -- to read my story and be inspired to join the National Bone Marrow Registry,'' he says. ``There are so many sick kids just starting their lives. If not for me, for them.'' TIPS AND COMMENTS: He's having his first bone marrow test since starting the experimental drug. ``It's worked half way,'' he says. When the results are in, he'll find out if the drug is curing his cancer.

For more information, see www.shrimplouie.com and www.ironteam.org

-- Sue Chenoweth