Caroline Watson is a graduate of University of New Hampshire. In the summer of 2019, she will be traveling with a group of college-aged students on a 49-day, 4000+ mile run from San Francisco to Boston, raising money and awareness for the Ulman Foundation.

What is your connection to the cancer community?

Last summer, my parents both lost their battle with cancer just one month apart from each other. My mother fought breast cancer for over ten years and was incredibly fearless and feisty – never willing to give up through the many twists and turns of her disease. My dad was diagnosed with cancer merely nine months before he passed away and continued working to provide for my family despite his aggressive diagnosis.

I have been intimately involved in the cancer community for half my life; from supporting both my parents through their battle and accompanying them to appointments, to participating in numerous fundraisers with the hope of finding a cure. Since graduating college in 2016, cancer has become more than a personal cause and I’ve been fortunate enough to work as a research assistant for oncology patients in Boston.

I have grown into my adulthood struggling to not only understand my parents diagnosis, but to provide care in a way most teenagers never experience. Over the past year, as I supported both my parents and eventually held their hands as they took their last breaths, it gave me a terribly unique look into the heartbreak of cancer. Despite the challenges this disease has created for me - this community, my parents, and my patients have taught me how deep my empathy and love really is, and only encouraged me to continue to stay engaged with such a resilient and inspiring group.

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

I want to run across America to prove to myself that I am resilient and to show others who are struggling with cancer that you can survive even the toughest battles. I have suffered an unbelievable amount of loss and I’m hopeful that my journey across America will make me even stronger and give more meaning to my parents’ death.

Additionally, I have participated in fundraisers and races that support cancer centers in the Northeast but I want to make a bigger impact across the United States. I am inspired to get my message out to other young adults dealing with loss from cancer and would be grateful to work directly with organizations supporting them across the country.

It is incredibly important to me to continue my parents’ legacy of being the most tenacious and determined people I knew. I want them to be proud of what I am doing and I can’t wait for this journey and the opportunity to prove myself.
 

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!