updated 6:52 p.m. ET Sept. 5, 2005

AUSTIN, Texas - Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong and his namesake cancer survivorship foundation will donate $500,000 to help cancer victims displaced by Hurricane Katrina get treatment.

Armstrong said Saturday he expects the money will be used to help transport cancer patients to hospitals and cancer centers where they can continue to get treatment. He said more money could be donated in the future.

“If you’ve started treatment and you miss a week or two weeks, it’s potentially fatal,” Armstrong said. “For me and the foundation, we just looked at that and asked not just what can we do, but how does it fit into our mission?”

Armstrong survived a bout with testicular cancer that had spread to his lungs and brain before he won the first of his record seven straight Tours titles. He retired from competitive racing in July after his final Tour victory.

Armstrong said the money would be sent to the hospitals and cancer centers, which would then arrange for transportation for patients.

Armstrong said he’s been following the hurricane crisis on television and in newspapers.

“It just seems like help was late to come there,” he said.

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