Triathlete Given 5% Survival Odds Beats Cancer, Saves 356 Horses

When professional triathlete Siri Lindley felt exhausted after turning 50, she chalked it up to age and years of pushing her body to the limit. Within days of a routine pre-op appointment, doctors delivered crushing news: she had acute myeloid leukemia and only a 5% chance of survival.

"My doctor said I could have been gone within weeks," the Santa Ynez resident recalled. The diagnosis came as a shock to Lindley and her wife, Rebekah Keat, both accomplished athletes who had spent their lives training through pain.

Even their dog sensed something was wrong, suddenly lying on Lindley's aching legs when she never had before. But the couple initially dismissed the symptoms as normal athletic wear and tear.

Less than a year after her diagnosis, Lindley defied the odds. She went into remission after two clinical trials, a bone marrow transplant, and months of chemotherapy and radiation at UCHealth Anschutz in Colorado.

"I'm basically living a miracle," Lindley said. Her journey is now the subject of a documentary called Tri Me, set to stream this spring.

That miracle inspired Lindley and Keat to transform their gratitude into action. Six years running, the couple has hosted the Celebrate Life Run, an annual 5K walk/run at their nonprofit horse rescue ranch in Santa Ynez.

The event takes place February 21 at Believe Ranch and Rescue, where participants can meet rescue horses and browse local merchant pop-ups. But the real purpose goes deeper than just running.

"It's a day to celebrate your own life, someone you love and their life, maybe someone who's passed, or someone fighting a diagnosis," Lindley explained. "It's reminding people: Live your best life now because this is the only one you get."

Proceeds support the ranch's mission to save horses from slaughter. The couple purchases horses at public livestock sales before kill buyers can acquire them for slaughterhouses outside the U.S.

In eight years, they've saved 356 horses. The ranch currently cares for 51, many adopted out to loving homes while others participate in equine therapy programs for people with PTSD and other disorders.

The therapy horses also work with children going through cancer treatment through partnerships with the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation. These healing sessions help young patients find comfort and connection during their toughest battles.

Why This Inspires

Lindley's story proves that second chances aren't just about survival. They're about what you do with the gift of more time. Instead of simply celebrating her own recovery, she's created multiple ripples of healing: rescuing animals destined for slaughter, offering therapy to trauma survivors, and reminding healthy people not to take a single breath for granted.

The couple also runs an online fitness program featuring 15-minute beginner-friendly workouts for busy people and those new to exercise. They're meeting people where they are, just as Lindley once needed others to meet her in her darkest moment.

Every horse saved, every cancer patient encouraged, and every runner at the February event represents the same truth: when you're given 5% odds and beat them, you don't keep that miracle to yourself.