Hannah Chapman is a graduate student at American University. In the summer of 2018, she will be traveling with a group of college-aged students on a 70-day, 4000+ mile ride from Baltimore, MD to Portland, OR raising money and awareness for the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults.

What is your connection to the cancer community?

I was lucky enough that I didn’t have anyone close to me pass away from cancer until I was 16, but my connection to the cancer community began when I met my best friend from high school. I went to a school with over 2,000 kids and I had heard that there was a boy in my grade who had been diagnosed with and was battling cancer, but I didn’t meet him until our junior year. Though I didn’t know him while he was sick, he was very open about it—and it was through him and his families’ stories that I had my first experience with (or idea of) cancer hurting a loved one of mine. I was inspired from the start by his humor, compassion, and optimism—which to me seemed impossible after all he’d been through.

Unfortunately, my grandma passed away suddenly the following year from lung cancer, but on the up side I was lucky enough not only to have had my own family, but also my friend and his family, who were probably the greatest support system one could have at the time, considering their experiences. That’s one beautiful thing about the cancer community, because as much pain as the disease causes to innumerable people everyday, it bonds us all together in a way that makes us want the best for one other and more importantly, want a cure. To cancer: I’m sad for the losses but thankful for the remissions.

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

I will be travelling 4,000 miles with the Ullman Cancer Fund for Young Adults this summer because, in light of the cause, I think it would be a crime not to. According to the American Cancer Association, over 1.6 million people will receive a cancer diagnosis in the United States alone during the 2017 calendar year. That’s 1.6 million people who will be unable to bike 4,000 miles this summer as a result of the treatments they will be receiving in an effort to fight their disease. So because they can’t, I plan to. I wish I could say I will be biking more for each person, but at 4,000 miles x 5,280 feet/mile x 30.48 centimeters/foot, I’ll only be biking 643,737,600 centimeters—meaning I’ll get to bike approximately 13.2 feet per person diagnosed with cancer in 2017. And if reading that math alone pushes even one person to donate their time or money to cancer research, we’re all one tiny step closer.

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!