Siona Slepoy is a Graduate of the University of Maryland at College Park. In the summer of 2019, she will be traveling with a group of college-aged students on a 70-day, 4000+ mile ride from Baltimore, MD to San Francisco raising money and awareness for the Ulman Foundation.

What is your connection to the cancer community?

Today, we're all connected to the cancer community. It's touched all of our lives in some way, be it through a loved one, a community member, or ourselves. My family has lost grandparents and cousins to various forms of cancer but it took my mother's cancer scare to really connect us to the community. Though her tumor ended up benign, the weeks between discovery and biopsy were life altering. The community that surrounded us during this time weren't only close friends and family but former neighbors, old preschool teachers, and even my landlord. They all showed up for us in different ways and revealed this huge network of people who had battled, were battling, or lost someone themselves to cancer. Though I'd known the effect that cancer had on my family members' lives, I didn't know about the people who showed up simply because they believed it was the right thing to do. Like I said, we all have some connection to cancer--it's unavoidable, but it took my family's scare to really become connected to the community.

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

 A few months ago, I hiked up old rag with a group of three friends. They had all rode for the Ulman Foundation and had convinced themselves, and eventually me, that there was no other option for me but to participate in 4K. I had been looking for an experience that meant something to me and to connect to a community of passionate people. Because of my friends' enthusiasm and insistence, 4K kind of just fell into my lap. I've been given the opportunity to combine my love of biking with my place in the community and I couldn't be more excited.

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!