Zachary Shaps is a senior at Stony Brook University. In the summer of 2019, he will be traveling with a group of college-aged students on a 70-day, 4000+ mile ride from Baltimore to Seattle, raising money and awareness for the Ulman Foundation.

What is your connection to the cancer community?

Having family, friends, and interactions with inspiring people, I have seen firsthand the loss and devastation that comes with cancer. It’s always been heartbreaking to me to see even the best of people impacted so deeply by the disease. Being too familiar with cancer through family, close friends, and an important mentor, and having lost some special to me, I decided early on to make it my life’s work to help others. I’ve always felt a strong sense of responsibility to support and empower others in their fight, providing hope and inspiration to people who need it most.

Devoting some of my time to important missions like Relay for Life, Red Cross, and the Stony Brook Hospital also helps me fulfill that responsibility while bringing me closer to the community. The experiences I’ve had helped me realize the importance of a support network to those with cancer: to help carry heavy burdens but also spread joy.

Why are you traveling 4,000 miles this summer with the Ulman Foundation?

Through my years as a public servant and volunteer, I have heard so many stories from those personally touched by cancer. As a rider in the Ulman 4K for Cancer, I hope to hear more inspiring stories of young adults, their families, and friends, impacted by cancer across the country. I believe that every story is a lesson, and those lessons can be used anywhere: to lend wisdom, instill hope, and spread love.

The 4K for Cancer is the experience of a lifetime, so I want to complete it for other young adults who cannot, and to honor those I lost to cancer. I hope to be an example for my community by showing optimism and dedication. It’s important to show that cancer should not be fought alone, and it requires everyone in the community to lend a helping hand. Through the team’s commitment to service and riding, I know we can inspire countless others to join the fight!

2019 marks the 18th 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 Foundation (Ulman). Interested in joining the fight? Apply to be a rider or runner a at www.4kforcancer.org! 

CHALLENGE:

Over 72,000 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:

Ulman Foundation changes lives by creating a community of support for young adults, and their loved ones, impacted by cancer. With your support, Ulman 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.

Ulman House - This year Ulman will open 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!