Caylynn Yao is a senior at The George Washington University. In the summer of 2017 she will be traveling with a group of college-aged students on a 49 day, 4000+ mile run from San Francisco, CA to Baltimore, MD to raise funds and awareness for the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults. 

What is your connection to the cancer community?

When my agong (grandfather) was diagnosed with stage three throat cancer in 2010, I gave him this silly photo of us to carry with him. As he found its place on the wall by his bedside, he turned to me and said, “yao yonggan, yao jiangqian (we must be brave, we must be strong)." It became our weekly exchange of words for the next year. Unfortunately through radiation treatment, he soon lost his ability to speak. And while I continued these words at our visits for several months, my family lost our agong to cancer in March 2011. 

In this loss, I found that there are far few things more difficult than watching the people you love get torn apart by this disease. As much as it hurts you, you are able to see the pain manifest in others. Fortunately, there are stories of triumph, few of which I’ve encountered firsthand. But still too many friends, brothers, sisters, parents, and grandparents continue their battles. To this day, I am reminded to be braver and stronger for these individuals by my grandfather. And as I begin medical school next fall, I carry these words with me in making strides to not only find a cure, but also improve patients’ quality-of-life.

Why are you traveling over 4000 miles this summer with the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults?

I am running 4,000 miles for my grandfather this summer. I am also running for my best friend’s mother, my middle-school classmate, my future patients, and for those who cannot. I love how running with the 4K for Cancer allows me to give attention to something in which the very word makes most of us tremble in fear. Unfortunately, cancer simply is. And it must be faced head-on. As I challenge myself to an incredible physical and mental journey this summer, I want to challenge others who have the power – the capacity – to make change, to take the steps forward with me in supporting the large community of young adults impacted by cancer.

2017 marks the 16th 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 Cancer Fund for Young Adults (UCF). Interested in joining the fight? Apply to be a rider or runner at www.4kforcancer.org! 

Challenge:

Over 70,000 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:

The Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults changes lives by creating a community of support for young adults, and their loved ones, impacted by cancer. With your support, the Ulman Cancer Fund 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.

UCF House - This year UCF broke ground on 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!