Lance Armstrong may not win the Tour Down Under, his first professional bike race in 3-1/2 years, but has left a longer-term mark by lending his charity's name to a new cancer center.
The South Australian state government said Saturday it will name a proposed cancer research center "Livestrong", the brand name of Armstrong's foundation to raise money and increase cancer awareness.
"This center will secure both Lance Armstrong and his excellent foundation a place in our state's history and all our hearts," South Australian state Premier Mike Rann said.
Armstrong, 37, began a comeback to professional cycling in Adelaide this week and stressed his return is focused as much on promoting his fight against cancer as winning races.
The testicular cancer survivor set up the Lance Armstrong Foundation in 1997, and with it the Livestrong brand.
The Flinders Medical Centre in Adelaide's southern suburbs will open the cancer research laboratory in 2011, Rann said.
The center will house more than 100 researchers and clinical investigators working with both orthodox and holistic methods to treat and control cancer.
"It is an honor for the Livestrong name to be associated with SA's plans to build the state-of-the-art Centre for Innovation in Cancer at Flinders Medical Centre," Armstrong said in a statement.
"I am humbled by this generosity and admire (Rann) for making public health a priority."
