Cancer is a 6 letter word we have gotten use to hearing. It has affected all of us in some form: either personaly, family member, relative or even a co-worker. I know before I was diagnosed I use to think Cancer was just something my grandparents would get not me, I am too young. I was 39 when I was diagnosed. I was wrong and I think many people do not really think about all the young adults affected by cancer. Many young adults have lost a parent to cancer and now college is not an option, the number of young servicemen and women that are being diagnosed continues to climb. Where do young adults get help and support?

The Ulman Cancer Fund has placed cancer navigators at several hospitals where many young adults seek treatment. These navigators help young adults and their families navigate the treatment process to include fertility issues before treatment starts. They provide scholorships for young adults that have lost a parent and college is no longer an option. The one thing that the Ulman Cancer Fund has done that has had the biggest impact on me is placing a navigator at Walter Reed Military Hospital in Bethesda, MD. The government will not fund a navigator postion to help servicemen and women diagnosed with cancer. It took a couple of years for the Ulman Cancer Fund to get the position approved but now they are changing lives.

Key to Keys began in 2013, a bicycle ride from Baltimore, MD to Key West, Florida, to rasie awareness and funding for young adults affected by cancer and for the navigator position at Walter Reed Hospital. I have participated in the ride in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016. In 2018 I will be riding in support of close friends mom I served with in the military. Her mom has recently been diagnosed with stage four breast cancer and is fighting. Once again that 6 letter word hits me hard. To ensure these programs and many others continue is my "why" I continue to ride. I want to help make a difference for those that have heard the words you have cancer and for those that will be diagnosed. Along the way from Baltimore to Key West we will stop at a few cancer centers and visit patients. This is where I need your help, fundraising. Help me along with my teammates make a difference in young adults lives. Please consider making a donation, no amount is to small. "Cancer changes live, So do we"

Here is a link to a video from the 2013 ride.

Key to Keys 2013

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.

UCF House - a “home away from home” to provide free housing for young adult cancer patients, and their caregivers, in East Baltimore. 

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.

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