A thoughtful espnW roundtable on Lance Armstrong raised a good question: How valuable is Livestrong, anyway?
(One question needs to be addressed: One participant says people might see Livestrong Park and wonder where the funds are going. But unless the reporting is wrong, the funds are going to other way.)
The roundtable links to this Outside magazine story from earlier in the year that questioned a lot of Livestrong’s practices, from its strong-arm approach to the media to the nebulous emphasis on “awareness.” The latter is turning into a hot topic in cancer charities these days — is it time to put away the ribbons and pick up some lab microscopes?
But the Outside piece, while occasionally blunt, is fair. It doesn’t shy away from the good that Livestrong has done.
The more official watchdogs — Charity Navigator, Charity Watch and the Better Business Bureau — give Livestrong good grades.
Then you get to the intangibles. How many people were inspired by Armstrong’s recovery? How many people found hope through Livestrong?
Time will tell if any of those intangibles translate to numbers.
Duresport.com 