Thomas Nesbitt is a sophomore at the University of South Carolina. In the summer of 2018, he will be traveling with a group of college-aged students on a 49-day, 4000+ mile run from San Francisco to Baltimore, raising money and awareness for the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults.
What is your connection to the cancer community?
My little sister, Julia, passed away from pediatric cancer in 2016 after battling leukemia twice and finally a brain tumor all over the course of 11 years. To help honor her, I now serve on the Board of Directors for an NPO founded in memory of Julia, called Julia & Jack's Photo Shack, which works to teach photography to children at specialty camps to foster a new love or skill, or at least have a good time in the process. In its second year of operation, Julia & Jack's Photo Shack has already been awarded "Best in Show" at the COCA Conference in San Francisco.
Why are you traveling 4,000 miles this summer with the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults?
I would love to contribute to raising of funds and awareness for all affected by cancer, pediatric, young adult, or otherwise. Aside from running cross country for 8 years, I am also passionate about the subject matter and would love to spend almost two months dedicated solely to this cause in honor and memory of my sister, and all other adolescents affected by this life-ruining disease. My philosophy is that there can never be too much attention drawn to such an issue, as it only serves to help people otherwise cast toward the wayside, so I would love to add to such recognition being garnered.
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 |
Josie Sanning | 08/28/2018 | $30.00 | Your story is such an inspiration & I am so proud of what y’all team did last summer!!! | Amy Warren | 08/28/2018 | $80.00 | The Warren’s Love You! So proud of you for honoring Jules this way. | Kathy Nesbitt | 08/28/2018 | $110.00 | Pam Wrucke | 08/27/2018 | $15.00 | Great Job Thomas! We enjoyed having Team Baltimore in Evansville at Immanuel! | Dawn Dillner | 08/27/2018 | $30.00 | Love you Thomas! Please tell me you are eating lots and have taken a break from running???? | Savannah Cooper | 08/27/2018 | $30.00 | Tracy Mccabe | 08/27/2018 | $50.00 | Awesome! That is all. ❤️ | Olivia Morton | 08/20/2018 | $25.00 | Love you so much, Thomas. I am incredibly proud of you. | Ellen/Anna Martinez | 08/15/2018 | $100.00 | We are so proud of and inspired by you, Thomas! Love the Martinez Fam | Breno Pereira | 08/15/2018 | $10.00 | Rachel Simmons | 08/15/2018 | $5.00 | SO freaking proud of you. Cant wait to see you next week in Cola!! | Adriana Ferrero | 08/15/2018 | $50.00 | Great cause! Your family continues to be so inspirational! | Jocelyn Jenik | 08/14/2018 | $100.00 | Rock on, Thomas. | Nicole Ross | 08/13/2018 | $100.00 | Leanne Vriesema | 08/07/2018 | $50.00 | What you have accomplished is truly amazing. I think of your sister often and your commitment to fundraising in her honor leaves me speechless. Love in AD. | Jan Bognoski | 08/05/2018 | $50.00 | Thank you for dedicating your run through Pennsylvania to my sister, Sandra Bleeker, who lost her battle to ovarian cancer. | Lily Bardol | 08/04/2018 | $15.00 | Woo Thomas! You’re amazing, congrats on making it all the way across the country! | Emily Fordice | 08/04/2018 | $25.00 | Keep being awesome, Thomas :) | Chris Bleeker | 08/01/2018 | $100.00 | Thomas, although we do not know each other you started your journey through Pa with a dedication to my wife Sandra Bleeker and I can't tell you how much it means to us. She was our world and I thank you for being a part of it! From the bottom of my heart Thank you! Stay strong! | Jackie Odagis | 08/01/2018 | $100.00 | Thomas, thank you!! We appreciate all that you’ve done and hope you feel the full hearts and love of those whom your efforts have touched❤️ | Jennifer Heilmann | 08/01/2018 | $50.00 | The name you wore coming into PA is the sister-in-law of my good and dear friend, and wife of her wonderful brother. Their loss breaks my heart. I understand it well, because I lost my husband last May to brain cancer. When I saw the picture of you today wearing her name I was touched beyond words. Thank you so very much for fighting this horrible disease that also stoled a beloved life from your family. You are a hero! | Craig Bleeker | 08/01/2018 | $100.00 | Thanks Thomas | Eric Lutz | 07/18/2018 | $500.00 | Stacey Sorrentino | 07/08/2018 | $25.00 | Thomas you are awesome! Julia is so proud!! | Lorraine Coram | 07/03/2018 | $100.00 | Good Luck!!! | Paul Ippolito | 06/25/2018 | $50.00 | Your Uncle Brian was telling me how proud he is of you. I am inspired by your strength and determination. I’m sure your sister is smiling down on you and your family. | Mike Giaimo | 06/23/2018 | $100.00 | Every step you take is her drum and sweet sound to the world. Keep on Thomas we are proud of you. | Michelle Abell | 06/20/2018 | $50.00 | You are amazing Thomas! | Donna Adam | 06/19/2018 | $25.00 | Best of luck! You are incredible! Much love to the entire Nesbitt family. | Heidi Allgair | 06/18/2018 | $150.00 | I adore your mom, and she and your entire family are so inspiring. Good luck this summer! #gococks | Anonymous Friend | 06/17/2018 | $100.00 | Kathy Heintel | 06/16/2018 | $100.00 | You are doing an amazing thing! Best of luck! | Risa Ostrow | 06/16/2018 | $25.00 | Dance marathon, running across the country, yeah, you got this. | Kristin Reph | 06/15/2018 | $50.00 | You are truly an amazing young man!! God Bless you. | Shannon Wilfong | 06/15/2018 | $50.00 | So proud of you TK and I know Julz is even more proud!! Rock it out!! Will be cheering you on from here! Love you!! | Amy Johnson | 06/15/2018 | $100.00 | Go Thomas! You are so inspirational. We continue to be beyond impressed with your drive, commitment and heart! Thinking of you and hoping for an amazing, wonderful journey! We just love you & your family so much. xoxo | Edward Campo | 06/15/2018 | $150.00 | Jim Jenkinson | 06/14/2018 | $100.00 | We are proud of you Tommy! | Rebecca Godby | 06/14/2018 | $50.00 | So proud of you, Thomas! I am encouraged by the many positive ways we can cope with grief to make things better for the ones behind us. Be safe, dear boy. I’m rooting for you! | Grace Russell | 06/14/2018 | $50.00 | Cheering for you Thomas! | Hunter and Stephanie Gilmore | 06/14/2018 | $100.00 | You are an incredible young man Thomas! Be safe! | Linda Howard | 06/06/2018 | $100.00 | Allison Dignazio | 06/06/2018 | $100.00 | Just keep swimming :) | Caroline Swenson | 06/06/2018 | $30.00 | From my roomies and me! -Caroline, Analisa, and Emma | Bonfire | 05/31/2018 | $161.10 | Cliff Brune | 05/25/2018 | $200.00 | Good luck from the Brune family. Life is not for the swift, its for the ones who just keep running! | Merril LeMoine | 05/05/2018 | $50.00 | Love to you Kathy and your AMAZING son | Brenda Jaynes | 05/04/2018 | $50.00 | What a wonderful tribute and inspiring journey. Way to be a rock star leader at such a young age! Safe travels and best wishes! | Nicole Ross | 05/03/2018 | $50.00 | Run like the wind, Thomas! | Kristin Shipley | 05/03/2018 | $10.00 | Caryn Scherer | 05/02/2018 | $50.00 | Cheryl Brogan | 05/02/2018 | $100.00 | C Christ | 05/02/2018 | $20.00 | Ashley Leary | 05/01/2018 | $10.00 | What an inspiring thing to do! God bless and best of luck The Leary Family (mom's RF tribe | Heather Seaman | 05/01/2018 | $100.00 | Thomas, you continue to inspire me to do more in the fight for pediatric cancer research! You are an amazing young man and I wish you the best in your travels across America. Oxox... | Suzanne Tedder | 05/01/2018 | $100.00 | Terri Morgan | 05/01/2018 | $55.00 | Get out there and rock this! You are amazing...we will be cheering you on! Alpha Delta Eta sister | Kelli Thomas (RF Consultant) | 05/01/2018 | $50.00 | Ann Calbi Alley | 05/01/2018 | $50.00 | Have fun, Thomas! Wonderful thing you are doing. | The Riney Family | 05/01/2018 | $100.00 | You are such an inspiration! | Andrea Pawline | 05/01/2018 | $50.00 | Janice Dougherty | 05/01/2018 | $40.00 | Lots of love and well wishes from Long Island! | Melissa Debbold | 05/01/2018 | $25.00 | Sending love from Wesley Chapel Elementary School ❤️ | Patty Oakley | 05/01/2018 | $100.00 | Sheri Newton | 05/01/2018 | $25.00 | Run Thomas Run! ❤️ | Lisa Junker | 05/01/2018 | $25.00 | Carrie Harris | 05/01/2018 | $25.00 | You and your family are an inspiration to so many!! Keep going!! | Carrie Jaynes | 05/01/2018 | $300.00 | Shawn Diggin | 04/25/2018 | $10.00 | Grade A homie | Rachael Rivera | 04/16/2018 | $25.00 | Have fun frolicking across the country proud of you! | Ellen Vanagel | 04/06/2018 | $10.00 | Hunter Price | 04/06/2018 | $10.00 | Ty Love-Baker | 04/06/2018 | $10.00 | This is one of the most incredible and heartfelt causes I’ve seen. Keep it up! :) | Davis Paone | 04/06/2018 | $15.00 | You got this Thomas!! | Dean Lage | 04/06/2018 | $10.00 | Good luck Thomas! | Sona Patel | 04/05/2018 | $10.00 | Such an awesome cause, best of luck Thomas!!! | Mackenzie Coon | 04/05/2018 | $20.00 | Let me know when you start running, I’ll time you! So awesome that you are doing this Thomas! | Bryant Fanning | 04/05/2018 | $10.00 | Good luck!!! | Tessa Bjelde | 04/05/2018 | $20.00 | You’re killing it, good luck!!!! | Anonymous Friend | 04/05/2018 | $10.00 | Justin Farley | 04/05/2018 | $20.00 | To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift. Best of luck I know you got it! | Julia Mark | 03/26/2018 | $10.00 | You're amazing, good luck!!! | Anna Perelli-Minetti | 03/26/2018 | $25.00 | You're the best Thomas! | Lindsay Harden | 03/23/2018 | $20.00 | Alyssa Bowman | 03/22/2018 | $5.00 | What you’re doing is incredible! Good luck and have fun! | Emma Gallagher | 03/21/2018 | $10.00 | YOU'RE THE BEST THOMAS!!! | Kate Suiter | 03/10/2018 | $20.00 | Jill Marshall | 03/09/2018 | $50.00 | I'm a Gamecock mom and I'm so impressed with all the things you have done to honor your sister's memory. I will enjoy keeping up with your run this summer. You are an amazing human being. | Jill Salditt | 03/05/2018 | $50.00 | I’m a Gamecock Mom with twin sophomore sons- what an incredible gift you are giving to your sister and to others fighting this nightmare. Best of luck on your amazing journey!! | Anonymous Friend | 03/05/2018 | $50.00 | What an amazing journey you are on Thomas! Best of luck this summer as you honor your sister. | Deb Porter | 03/04/2018 | $50.00 | What a wonderful way to honor your sister as well as to help others! | Samantha Pardue | 02/18/2018 | $20.00 | Attending GS West with you was an experience that I will always remember. I have been following your story and life events ever since then. You are a wonderful person. I hope this helps you achieve your goal. | Samantha Pardue | 02/18/2018 | $20.00 | Attending GS West with you was an experience that I will always remember. I have been following your story and life events ever since then. You are a wonderful person. I hope this helps you achieve your goal. | Jill Kasprzak | 02/15/2018 | $75.00 | Lara Sahoo | 02/15/2018 | $10.00 | So much love, proud to call you my brother! | Liane Miller | 02/06/2018 | $25.00 | Good luck Thomas! | Terri Pollack | 01/28/2018 | $25.00 | Yayyy Thomas | Lisa Helms | 01/27/2018 | $100.00 | Love you Thomas! Go kick some ass for Julia! | Christine Trotta | 01/26/2018 | $20.00 | Always in our hearts. | Maddie Gillespie | 01/26/2018 | $10.00 | You're an inspirational and incredible person. | Lynn Hoff | 12/31/2017 | $50.00 | Michael Brzozowski | 12/29/2017 | $100.00 | Best of Luck on your journey. Great Cause. Briz - Psi Phi Gamma | Anonymous Friend | 12/28/2017 | $100.00 | Good Luck! | Courtney Giel Kent | 12/26/2017 | $231.57 | To say we are proud of you, is an understatement. We love you with all of our heart. We've said it since you were a toddler, you're destined for great things T. Now Run, Run, Run!! Love you xoxo | Rachel Simmons | 12/26/2017 | $10.00 | Good luck Thomas!!! | Jackie Bowling | 12/21/2017 | $50.00 | Best of luck from Jack Bowling's Grandma! Woo! | Erica Reiser | 12/09/2017 | $10.00 | Proud to be your brother, proud of this cause, proud of you! You're awesome Thomas!! | Jennifer Schantz Mangeney | 12/07/2017 | $10.00 | Anonymous Friend | 12/07/2017 | $300.00 | Miss Julia every day and love you guys... Rock on Thomas and go for it! | Stephanie Pressler | 12/06/2017 | $500.00 | Thomas, you are so inspiring. Wishing you all the best. | Fran Capicchioni | 12/06/2017 | $25.00 | Bailey Wilhelm | 12/06/2017 | $10.00 | HBD Jack Bowling (saw your page that he shared)! Have so much fun on this journey. Love, a fellow gamecock and 4K alumn | Tonya Mayer | 12/06/2017 | $500.00 | I met your amazing mom this weekend! She is so proud of you for honoring your sister in such an inspiring way. You are an inspiring young man! Prayers for you on this journey. | Michael Thorsen | 12/05/2017 | $20.00 | Run fast! | Emily Anderson | 12/05/2017 | $10.00 | Carolyn Nesbitt | 12/05/2017 | $50.00 | Thomas, so incredible! Really, really proud of you!! I didn’t get the Nesbitt running genes but you rock on!! Can’t wait to follow your running journey! Much love, Carolyn, Mike, & Kacey <3 | Shannon McDade | 12/05/2017 | $15.00 | go thomas ily !! | Marci Melton | 12/05/2017 | $100.00 | Stacy McGuire Ossowicz | 12/05/2017 | $25.00 | Taylor Hall | 12/04/2017 | $15.00 | Honored to have you as a brother! | Casey Lewis | 12/03/2017 | $30.00 | Hey Thomas, i love the cause and respect everything you are doing. Good luck my guy | Jack Bowling | 11/25/2017 | $15.00 | You may see me pounce, in great amounts, but with your eye, you catch only an ounce, of my illustrious horns, poise as thorns, unequivocally sharp like the spear of Dorne. So on you go, to and fro, chase this Gazelle, not so slow. | Peggy Cole | 11/22/2017 | $100.00 | Love you TK!! | Stephanie Scruton | 11/22/2017 | $100.00 | Lauren Garziano | 11/14/2017 | $20.00 | Haley Dietsch | 11/13/2017 | $20.00 | :):) | Donna Pape Marinelli | 11/12/2017 | $10.00 | Love, Hope, Faith. Find the cure. | Elaine O’Reilly | 11/11/2017 | $100.00 | Justin Gill | 11/07/2017 | $10.00 | Mike Ponessa | 11/05/2017 | $10.00 | Good luck Thomas. We're all behind you! | Heather Sprouse | 11/05/2017 | $100.00 | Absolutely amazing and truly inspiring! | Mary Ellen Costello | 11/05/2017 | $20.00 | Turner Finnerty | 10/30/2017 | $10.00 | Ryan Pickett | 10/29/2017 | $15.00 | Let's go Thomas! | Olivia Miller | 10/25/2017 | $10.00 | Super cool that you're doing this! Good luck :) | Wilson Crone | 10/25/2017 | $10.00 | Run Thomas run | Wilson Crone | 10/25/2017 | $10.00 | Run Thomas Run | Katie Rosman | 10/18/2017 | $25.00 | Karen Rosman | 10/18/2017 | $50.00 | Good Luck Thomas! | Mikaela Waller | 10/17/2017 | $10.00 | Good luck Thomas!! This is amazing and so are you :) | Anonymous Friend | 10/17/2017 | $15.00 | Good luck Thomas!! You're gunna do great! | Anthony Mello | 10/17/2017 | $25.00 | Best of luck my man, keep doing great things! | Chris and Christina Blackmon | 10/17/2017 | $100.00 | Very proud of you! | David Trexler | 10/17/2017 | $100.00 | What a great way to honor your sister! -Scientific Search | Elizabeth Perez | 10/17/2017 | $10.00 | u go thomas!!!!! | Emerson Odagis | 10/17/2017 | $10.00 | All of Alpha Phi is rooting for you! You got this bud! | Edward Campo | 10/16/2017 | $50.00 | Joshua Pearson | 10/14/2017 | $10.00 | Ily ❤️ | Maura Pezzulla | 10/14/2017 | $10.00 | Go Thomas!!! | Emily Rogan | 10/14/2017 | $28.43 | Guess you're kinda a cool person who I guess I would like to support | Leslie Nicholson | 10/14/2017 | $75.00 | Good luck! | Janel Moore | 10/14/2017 | $10.00 | WOOOOO GO THOMAS | Alex Wyatt | 10/13/2017 | $15.00 | Go brother! | Caroline Swenson | 10/13/2017 | $10.00 | Joel Welch | 10/13/2017 | $10.00 | You're going to do amazing Thomas! | Ethan Lyman | 10/13/2017 | $10.00 | Shawn Diggin | 10/12/2017 | $10.00 | So proud of you man! | Brandon Samples | 10/12/2017 | $10.00 | Good luck Thomas! Your run next summer will be awesome! | Wes Porter | 10/12/2017 | $50.00 | You the man! | Hayden Huffman | 10/11/2017 | $15.00 | So happy to follow you on your journey this summer. Love you! | Kay O'Connor | 10/11/2017 | $15.00 | Anonymous Friend | 10/11/2017 | $25.00 | Good luck Thomas! | Michelle Lair | 10/10/2017 | $100.00 | Thomas, you rock!!! | Meredith Composanto | 10/10/2017 | $30.00 | Meghan Peterson | 10/10/2017 | $10.00 | So proud of you! | Nick Nicholson | 10/10/2017 | $10.00 | Good luck man! | Jennifer Santoriello-Colucci | 10/10/2017 | $50.00 | Awesome Thomas! | Charles R Hammond III | 10/09/2017 | $100.00 | Thomas,I'm So Proud Of You! | Jim Jenkinson | 10/07/2017 | $100.00 | Angela Wareham | 10/07/2017 | $100.00 | Diane Marmann | 10/07/2017 | $15.00 | Erin Hall | 10/07/2017 | $25.00 | Thomas Nesbitt | 10/06/2017 | $100.00 | Kelli Thomas (RF Consultant) | 10/06/2017 | $50.00 | Joanie & William Lookabaugh | 10/06/2017 | $100.00 | Laura Eckert | 10/06/2017 | $50.00 |
Total | $10,111.10 |