“My challenge to you is—despite how tough things are—you have to find your passion,” said Armstrong, who says his life today is all about raising awareness about cancer survival.

“Cancer is the best thing that has ever happened to me,” he said. “The disease taught me how to live, taught me how to fight, and taught me not to be afraid.”

Armstrong wrote the book on grit and fortitude. He won the character-testing Tour de France race a record-breaking seven consecutive times. All seven victories came after his battle with testicular cancer. It had already spread to his lungs and brain when it was diagnosed in 1996. His recovery and return to racing in 1998 was hailed a miracle.

The cyclist spoke movingly to the REALTORSŪ about his experience and why he went public with his cancer experience. His doctor gave him a choice about how to go forward: Be a private person and don’t share your experience and what it felt like. “People do that every day and that's fine,” Armstrong recalled his doctor saying. “Or walk out as a public person and share your story.”

He chose the latter and has never looked back, starting the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Ten years and 70 million LiveStrong bracelets later, he’s as dedicated as ever.

Before Armstrong spoke, NAR President Dick Gaylord of Long Beach, Calif., recapped his extraordinary year presiding over the National Association of REALTORSŪ’ Centennial celebration.

In a video montage, Gaylord talked about the turbulent economic times, saying that, regardless of their markets, REALTORSŪ rose to the challenge of moving the association forward—whether working to improve their own community, advocate for economic stimulus bills in Congress, or plan for the association’s second century.

“I want to thank each and every REALTORŪ—each and every one of you—for your willingness to accept and tackle the hard issues and tasks,” he said. “Our success this past year is a measure of our combined strength and skills.

“You have shown just how much we can accomplish when we work “All Together,” he said, intoning his presidential theme.

Gaylord offered his personal thanks to a variety of members and NAR staff and gave a special President’s Award to seven members of the REALTORŪ family who made extraordinary commitments during 2008: Sharon Millett of Auburn, Maine; Cathy Whatley of Jacksonville, Fla.; Richard Rosenthal of Marina del Rey, Calif.; Mike Brodie of Plano, Texas; Joel Singer of the California Association of REALTORSŪ in Los Angeles; and Vince Malta of San Francisco; and Gary Thomas of Aliso Viejo, Calif.

"At the beginning of my year, I said I wanted to be the members' president," Gaylord told the audience. "If that is indeed my legacy, then I'm the happiest man in the world." The audience responded with a rousing standing ovation.

—Wendy Cole and Stacey Moncrieff