Livestrong Cancer Survivor Alex Davitt

Irish expat Alex Davitt came to America for a year of adventure in 1986, but the adventure stretched into a life in Rye as an artist and athlete that the Dubliner never dreamed of back in the day. 

Alex, a married mother of three, has had a career in finance, became a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Fraud Examiner and worked in mergers and acquisitions for an Irish company.

She dotes on her family and their rescued black labrador retriever Ruthie. She is also a self-taught portrait artist currently exhibiting at the Rye YMCA.

Alex is also one of the most inspirational athletes at the Y and one of the first participants in the Y’s free Livestrong exercise, diet and nutrition program for cancer survivors.

She surprised herself, her family, her Y mentors and fellow survivors by recently completing the “Meek and Mighty” leg of the Westchester Triathlon, consisting of a 300-yard swim in Long Island Sound off Playland, a six mile bicycle ride ‘round Rye and a one-mile run as part of a fledgling Rye Y triathlon training team.

“I thought of bailing out on the M&M the night before when a doctor friend of mine called and said he was concerned about my picking up some kind of infection during the swim,” she recalled, her Irish brogue adding a lilt to her story.

Alex’s Livestrong mentor, Laura Tiedge, assured her that Westchester County closely monitored the water’s pollution levels for safety. She thought Alex could do herself and the Livestrong program proud by completing the M&M which she did. 

She also trained to complete in the recent Avon Walk, a two-day cancer research fund-raising event that begins with a 26.2 mile marathon walk throughout NYC on the first day followed by a 13.1 mile trek on the second day. 

“It’s a great event,” Alex says. “Avon raised something like $10 million for Cancer research last year. I did it then. I’ll do it again. And Livestrong at the Y is a great program. It has helped show me that regular exercise can be an important part in helping you survive cancer.”

The Y’s 12-week Livestrong cancer survivor support program includes everything from lectures on diet and nutrition and guidance using the fitness center's exercise machines in the fitness center.

It's part of a pioneer cancer survivor project staged with the national YMCA and the Livestrong Foundation run by champion cyclist and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong. 

Alex is an excellent Livestrong candidate, showing true grit in the face of adversity. Right now, for example, she is training to participate in a women's triathlon in Sandy Hook, N.J., next year with the support of her husband Michael, and their three kids: Zoë 18; Caroline, 14, and Michael, 11, and, of course, Ruthie, their black lab.

“Even in the early days of my recovery, when I was pretty much confined to my home, I tried to get in a walk every day,” Alex recalled. Because of her compromised immune system back then, she had to spend a lot of time indoors, away from crowds. “I always wanted to paint,” Alex said. “So I asked one of my friends to pick me up some brushes, and paints and pretty much took it from there.” 

To her surprise, someone saw her work, liked it, and asked her to do portraits of her three children. That led to Alex establishing a career as a portrait artist with her own company Alex Davitt Portraits. 

Her accomplishments as part of the Livestrong program has made her an inspiration to the community.

Further information: Email: info@alexdavittportraits.com; www. alexdavittportraits.com; Phone: 648-0000