Dear Friends,

A lot of people may think, “Because cancer doesn’t affect me personally, I shouldn’t care about it.” But this is a short-sighted view. In the U.S. alone, according to the American Cancer Society, “men have slightly less than a 1 in 2 lifetime risk of developing cancer, and for women, the risk is a little more than 1 in 3.” And when I think about my own network of family and friends, these statistics become a lot more real, and a lot more scary. Just the act of running, biking, or swimming sends a powerful message, because many times, we are dedicating our activities to those who are incapable of doing them.

Several members of my family (at least 4 in the last 4 years) - as well as my friends’ relatives have been afflicted by cancer. I wasn’t actually directly touched by cancer until my aunt passed away after a breast cancer relapse at the age of 38. Her strength, fierce dedication, and resilience - which she showed all throughout her life and particularly as she grappled with the illness - has inspired me to become an activist for causes such as this one. 

I have run three marathons, my first with The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team-in-Training Program. My involvement with the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults began in the fall of 2012, when I decided to sign up for the 4K for Cancer program - one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. I had the opportunity to serve as a Ride Director for the first-ever 4K team (a group of 26 motivated and inspired college-age individuals) biking from Baltimore to San Diego in the summer of 2013. From the first couple days, it became evident that the success of our coast-to-coast trip did not rest with us…it depended even more on the generosity of the cancer community. And the charity of the people that we met (supporters like you) was absolutely overwhelming. Sometimes, in the case of the woman who walked up to us as we were sitting outside a Panera to hand us a bunch of bills, and returned twice more when she found more money in her pocket, it stunned us into silence. Still other times, in the case of the churches that sang spirituals, it inspired us to burst into song. Words cannot convey how grateful we are to supporters like you for your generosity. We set out with a dream to raise money and spread awareness for the young adult cancer cause, and you worked to help make our dream a reality. And when we finally rode into Mission Beach on August 10^th, all twenty-six of us were overwhelmed with the joy of a dream fulfilled. 

Now, continuing my involvement with the UCF, I am currently training for the 2014 TCS NYC Marathon, which will take place this Fall, and through your generous support, I aim to raise $2500. That's enough to pay for a scholarship to send a young adult facing cancer to college. (http://ulmanfund.org/donate/where-your-money-goes/)

My goal is to get people to care, to realize why it’s important to support this cause - in whatever capacity they can! Cancer picks its victims indiscriminately, and it’s important to raise awareness and create solidarity so that we can continue to progress towards finding a cure - as well as to strengthen support groups and services that are already available to patients (which the Ulman Fund has a lot of - specifically tailored to young adults!). No one should have to grapple with cancer alone or uninformed (hence the need for services for patients), and no family should ever have to go through the pain of losing a loved one (hence the need to support groups and research).

Thank you very much for your consideration, and remember, any amount of money helps (even $1!). I appreciate your generosity and support. Please don't hesitate to get in touch with me at priya2011@gmail.com if you want to learn more about what I am doing. You can follow my training efforts at www.runtocure.tumblr.com.

Warmly,

Priya Krishnan

The Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults changes lives by creating a community of support for young adults, and their loved ones, as they fight cancer and embrace survivorship. 

With your support, The Ulman Cancer Fund is able to provide multiple support services and resources for the young adult cancer community, including: 

• Cancer to 5K - A free, progressive, 12-week run/walk program designed to reintroduce cancer survivors to physical activity.

• Helping Others Fight - A volunteer program that provides basic services – such as transportation to and from treatment, yard work, home repairs, delivery of chemo care bags – to local cancer patients and their families so they can focus their energy on their battle with cancer and their well-being.

• Patient Navigation - A free program - onsite at cancer centers and remote - that ensures no young adult ever faces cancer alone.  We provide one-on-one personal support and 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.


Thank you for making these programs and our mission possible.