While I was incredibly fortunate to have the most amazing support throughout my battle with cancer, I couldn’t help but feel alone and isolated at times. I was often the youngest in the waiting room at the oncologist’s office, the youngest in a room full of adults receiving chemotherapy, and my case a rarity often commented on and compared to colon cancer statistics describing those often at risk as obese men over 50. Even now as I embrace a life of survivorship I often think of the things that I now need to be aware of in terms of my health that most young adults don’t even think twice about. While I was aware of these feelings that I had and continue to have and knew there must be other young adults who have been through or know someone who had been through something similar, I didn’t know who or where they were. I had always aspired to find a way to give back to other young adults knowing that I could’ve benefited from something similar, but I never knew exactly how.

Recently one of my best friends, Scott, introduced me to the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults. The mission of this group is to “change lives by creating a community of support for young adults, and their loved ones, as they fight cancer and embrace survivorship.” I knew that this type of program was what I had been looking for all along.

This year the Ulman Cancer Fund has launched its inaugural Point to Point program in which I was recently selected! Myself along with several other teammates will run a week-long relay from Locust Point in Baltimore, MD to the Southernmost Point of Florida – Key West. Along the way we will be raising awareness about young adult cancer and visiting cancer centers and communities to distribute chemo care packages, tour facilities, help young adults navigate their cancer experience, and connect young adults and their loved ones to UCF.

Of course the way in which many of these services are able to be provided during Point to Point and the mission of UCF carried out is through fundraising. So I am asking that you please consider making a donation so that together we can offer support and hope to those who do very need it.

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 expereience 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.

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