Megan Lettenberger is a senior at New Mexico State University. In the summer of 2018, she will be traveling with a group of college-aged students on a 49-day, 4000+ mile run from San Francisco to Boston, raising money and awareness for the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults.
What is your connection to the cancer community?
When I was in the ninth grade, just starting my high school career my mother’s mother was diagnosed with lung cancer. She had smoked since she was younger than I was at the time but had quit many years ago for her health and to be able to be around her grandchildren. The entire family was devastated by the diagnosis as any family would be but being the strong former marine she was, she hid pain and continuously cared for everyone else despite her painful treatments. My grandma died June 1st 2011. I miss her everyday and I want every person and family dealing with cancer to know they have a wall of support behind them all the time.
Why are you traveling 4,000 miles this summer with the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults?
I`m running with 4K for Cancer to honor those who can`t run anymore and the families of those with cancer who feel like that can`t run away from the monster of cancer. I also want to help to raise more money for the family dealing with cancer so they don`t have to worry about money on top of everything else. Unlike with other types of cancer, young adults with cancer isn`t something that comes to mind when most people hear ‘cancer’ so I`m running to show people and these young adults and their families that the Ulman Cancer Fund and myself are thinking about them.
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 |
Judith Scott | 12/13/2017 | $100.00 | To honor our beautiful Jeanne and our precious Bernadette | Helmut Glaeser | 12/03/2017 | $200.00 | Kate Lettenberger | 11/30/2017 | $100.00 | Carol Underwood | 11/29/2017 | $50.00 | Well done Megan - I’m proud of your effort to help find a cure for cancer! xo | Doug Atwell | 11/28/2017 | $100.00 | Nick Nick Wachtel | 11/28/2017 | $25.00 | Cafe Castro | 11/10/2017 | $100.00 | Sue Lettenberger | 11/01/2017 | $25.00 | Megan Lettenberger | 09/07/2017 | $100.00 | Ty Vincent | 09/07/2017 | $100.00 |
Total | $900.00 |