Peter Chung is a graduate of George Mason University. In the summer of 2019, he will be traveling with a group of college-aged students on a 70-day, 4000+ mile ride from Baltimore to San Francisco, raising money and awareness for the Ulman Foundation.

What is your connection to the cancer community?

Growing up, I never felt a strong connection to the cancer community, because I never knew anyone who had cancer. That was until I participated in Relay For Life, when I was in college. I walked alongside my friends , and it wasn’t until that night, I found out some of them had relatives that battled cancer or had even lost loved ones to cancer. My friends and I shared a special moment of intimacy and camaraderie that night, and I discovered that my connection to cancer is much closer than I previously thought.

I am grateful for how fortunate I am, to never have personally been affected by cancer. However, whether we have been personally affected by it or not, I believe we all share a connection to cancer through someone we care about. 4K For Cancer is an extraordinary opportunity to make a long-term difference in raising awareness, while directly supporting those impacted by cancer. It is a chance to remind our community that we are all in this fight together.

Why are you traveling 4,000 miles this summer with the Ulman Foundation?

I started my search for transamerica biking trips on google when I came across the Ulman 4K For Cancer. I had never heard of the Ulman Foundation before, but after some more research, I was shocked to discover how little we know about cancer in young adults. We still do not know what causes cancer in young adults and there has been very little progress for treating cancers in young adults compared to cancers in babies and older adults. It made me wonder, if I've been unaware of these things for this long, how many other people are unaware just like me? That's when I decided that I would ride for the Ulman Foundation, in order to help raise awareness and to directly serve the community. There were plenty of other great causes to ride for, but as a young adult, this resonated with me the most. This is an opportunity of a lifetime to inspire hope to those affected by cancer, while also fighting for a cause much greater than myself.

2019 marks the 18th year of the 4K for Cancer sending young adults on journeys across the country in an effort to inspire hope and unite communities in the fight against cancer. The 4K for Cancer is a program of the Ulman Foundation (Ulman). Interested in joining the fight? Apply to be a rider or runner a at www.4kforcancer.org! 

CHALLENGE:

Over 72,000 young adults are diagnosed with cancer every year. Young adults (ages 15-39) face a variety of unique challenges with a cancer diagnosis including fertility preservation, social isolation, lack of insurance, delayed diagnosis, and more. 

SOLUTION:

Ulman Foundation changes lives by creating a community of support for young adults, and their loved ones, impacted by cancer. With your support, Ulman is able to provide free support services and resources for the young adult cancer community including:

Cancer to 5K - a 12-week training program designed to introduce or reintroduce cancer survivors to physical activity.

Patient Navigation - a free program (onsite at cancer centers and remotely through our office) that ensures no young adult ever faces cancer alone. We provide one-on-one support & resources to young adults and their families to help them manage the cancer experience and long-term cancer survival.

Scholarships - a financial assistance program to help young adults continue their education after being affected by cancer through their own diagnosis or the diagnosis of a loved one.

Ulman House - This year Ulman will open a “home away from home” to provide free housing for young adult cancer patients, and their caregivers, in East Baltimore. 

Your donation will help make these programs and our mission possible!