Marco Gacke is a senior at Southwest Minnesota State University. In the summer of 2018, he will be traveling with a group of college-aged students on a 70-day, 4000+ mile ride from Baltimore, MD to Seattle, WA, raising money and awareness for the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults.
What is your connection to the cancer community?
I come from a small town where everybody knows everybody, so I know a lot of people who have had to deal with cancer and even lost battles to cancer. I have also lost and aunt to cancer when she was only a kid and I have had other famliy members battle and survive cancer
Why are you traveling over 4000 miles this summer with the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults?
I am biking 4,000 miles this summer with the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults because I want to make a difference in the world no matter how big or small. I want to inspire people to challenge themselves and demonstrate anything is possible if you put your mind to it. I want to help out as many people as I can and I think there is not better way than dedicating my own time, blood, sweat, and tears to a great cause. This trip will not only help others but it will also help me grow as a person. I am grateful for this opportunity and I am excited to see where it takes me.
2018 marks the 17th 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 a 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!
| Supporters | |||
| Name | Date | Amount | Comments |
| Julee Conrad | 06/14/2018 | $20.00 | Donation from your 4-year-old buddy, James, in Columbus. Thanks for playing beach ball and making a little kid's day :) You're making a huge difference, and we will be cheering your ride from Ohio! | Bonfire | 05/31/2018 | $26.26 | Wendy Gacke | 05/30/2018 | $400.00 | Dani would be so proud of YOU! | Wendy Gacke | 05/21/2018 | $100.00 | Proud of You Marco | Wendy Gacke | 05/21/2018 | $100.00 | Best of Luck | Morgan Sommers | 05/15/2018 | $50.00 | Good luck! | Ronda Bonar | 05/15/2018 | $200.00 | Marco we are so proud of you, enjoy this awesome journey! | Minnwest Bank | 05/10/2018 | $250.00 | Papik Motors, Inc. | 05/09/2018 | $50.00 | Taylor Hardina | 05/09/2018 | $200.00 | Anonymous Friend | 05/09/2018 | $50.00 | Wendy Gacke | 05/03/2018 | $100.00 | love! love! love! this you are doing | Wendy Gacke | 05/03/2018 | $30.00 | Way to go | Wendy Gacke | 05/03/2018 | $50.00 | good Luck Marco | Wendy Gacke | 05/03/2018 | $75.00 | best of luck | Wendy Gacke | 05/03/2018 | $50.00 | Thank you | Zach Pepperman | 04/27/2018 | $50.00 | Good job man! | Carrie Overgaard | 04/21/2018 | $50.00 | Annie Opitz | 04/21/2018 | $50.00 | Good LUCK. LOVE YOU | Mark & Janae Hardina | 04/19/2018 | $100.00 | Way to go Marco! Can't wait to see if you come through our area! | Courtney Hemme | 04/18/2018 | $50.00 | Lian Chiu | 03/29/2018 | $60.00 | Sean Amegashie | 03/29/2018 | $40.00 | Jon & Andraya Peterson | 03/29/2018 | $500.00 | Hoping you can help teach Adalynn how to ride a bike this summer :) best of luck on the trip, it's for a great cause. | Peg Gacke | 03/24/2018 | $200.00 | Way to go Marco! I'm so Proud of you!! I'm paying for Mine and Lauren's, plus extra donation for the cause. KEEP BIKIN' | Cleta Dempsey-Knoebel | 03/02/2018 | $50.00 | Shelly Nibbelink | 02/26/2018 | $50.00 | What an amazing cause you are working for Marco!!! | Wendy Gacke | 02/22/2018 | $50.00 | Best of Luck | Wendy Gacke | 02/22/2018 | $50.00 | Wendy Gacke | 02/22/2018 | $75.00 | Proud of You | Wendy Gacke | 02/15/2018 | $50.00 | Best of Luck! | Amber Nath | 02/15/2018 | $100.00 | Marco I would like 2 of them I like both of the ones you put up on fb so if you would do one of each of those for me please! Thank you! | Brandy Kessler | 02/13/2018 | $100.00 | Hope to see you at the end. | Wendy Gacke | 01/31/2018 | $100.00 | January's donation | Wendy Gacke | 01/29/2018 | $25.00 | Good Luck Marco | Wendy Gacke | 01/29/2018 | $100.00 | Pizza Ranch - Luverne | Wendy Gacke | 01/29/2018 | $100.00 | Quality Printing Inc. | Wendy Gacke | 01/04/2018 | $20.00 | Wendy Gacke | 01/04/2018 | $200.00 | Wendy Gacke | 12/20/2017 | $200.00 | Good Luck Mijo | Eric Hartman | 12/20/2017 | $75.00 | Material Distributors Inc. MDI | 12/01/2017 | $250.00 | Material Distributors Inc. - MDI | Marco Gacke | 11/21/2017 | $100.00 |
| Total | $4,546.26 | ||