Beating the Impossible: From a Cancer Diagnosis to Race Across America
- S3E4
- 1:01:44
- April 21st 2025
In this episode of Bonafide Leaders, Tim welcomes Dan Rembold, Vice President at Texas Instruments, accomplished cyclist, devoted family man, and leukemia survivor. Dan shares his remarkable journey—from his early days as a multi-sport athlete and his passion for technology, to the unexpected life-altering cancer diagnosis that changed everything.
Dan then shares that while he living his dream life with an incredible career at Texas Instruments, raising a family of five children, and building his dream home, his world was changed forever with a leukemia diagnosis. He talks about how his competitive spirit and resilience that was honed through years of athletic and professional challenges, became vital tools in his fight for survival. Dan opens up about navigating a devastating diagnosis, the support systems that carried him through, and how he used goal-setting and a coaching mindset to persevere in the face of seemingly impossible odds. From taking on a 100-mile bike race to conquering Race Across America as the first bone marrow transplant leukemia survivor, Dan’s story is a testament to the power of grit, mindset, and faith.
Books Mentioned In this Episode:
7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Covey
To connect with Tim, visit: www.BonafideLeaders.com
Key Topics Discussed:
- Early memories and the role of sports (soccer, swimming, cross country) in his upbringing
- How the competitive spirit shaped Dan’s approach to work and leadership
- The sudden leukemia diagnosis and the emotional/mental impact
- Navigating treatment, including chemotherapy, bone marrow transplant, and recovery
- The importance of mindset, resilience, and coaching oneself through adversity
- Returning to work and the workplace community’s support
- Setting and achieving new goals after recovery—specifically, the Race Across America
- How lessons from sports apply to business, team leadership, and family life
- Advice for those facing serious illness and for their caretakers/loved ones
Bonafide Leaders
In the Bonafide Leaders podcast, host Tim G Williams shares his leadership journey through life and work, from individual contributor to Vice President and Special Adviser to the CEO, working for 22 years in a Fortune 200 corporate environment in finance, operations, and strategy, to founding Bonafide Leaders. While helping run and operate billion-dollar businesses, he discovered a deep passion for organizational health, and in leading and developing people and teams. He shares his passion for partnering and working with leaders, particularly in business, technology and the non-profit spaces, aiming to augment their leadership in authentic and inspirational ways. See more at bonafideleaders.com.