Zachary Batt is a sophomore at DePauw University. In the summer of 2017 he will be traveling with a group of college-aged students on a 49 day, 4000+ mile run from San Francisco, CA to Baltimore, MD to raise funds and awareness for the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults.
What is your connection to the cancer community?
My neighbor, friend, and schoolmate, AJ Slye, lost his two-year battle to Acute Myeloid Leukemia on February 27, 2014. Throughout his illness, AJ’s strength of character, the conviction of his family, and the bonding of our community was inspiring. Personally, throughout his life, AJ taught me positivity, self-motivation, and perseverance. Following his death, I have tried to maintain his inspiration within my own life. Please take a moment to learn more about AJ and his life at: http://www.
Cancer has affected others I care about as well. Denise, mother of a childhood friend, recently found out she beat Leukemia. My Grandmother Gloria Woronka and my Aunt Karen are both breast cancer survivors. All are an inspiration to me and I am lucky to know and learn from each of them.
Why are you traveling 4000 miles this summer with the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults?
I have seen first hand how cancer affects young adults and their families, both emotionally and financially. I have also learned how outside support from communities, organizations, and foundations is vital to their fights against cancer; I want to raise money for and be part of a solution. Since I have been a competitive distance runner throughout high school and college, the Ulman Cancer Fund 4K run seems a perfect opportunity to match my running to a greater cause. Until now, I have directed my running passion toward my team, my school, and myself. I would like to direct my passion toward a goal that benefits others and help those who have been forced to put their own pursuits, passions, and lives on hold to battle cancer.
I spent most of my high-school running career on a track named in memory of a young man taken before his time by cancer. I have numerous family members and family friends who have or are currently battling cancer. I run for them, I run for AJ, and I run for all those who can’t do what they love because their lives were put on hold by cancer.
Thank you for helping me in this endeavor. #SlyeStrong
2017 marks the 16th 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 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 |
| Brian Batt | 07/29/2017 | $20.00 | So proud of you Zach! Have enjoyed watching this journey on Facebook! Uncle John and Aunt Kathy | Mike & Lindy Ramsey | 07/12/2017 | $25.00 | Kade McDonald | 07/11/2017 | $50.00 | Good luck Zach! This is a great thing you are doing! | Nancy Vitale | 07/10/2017 | $50.00 | It is so like you to go the extra mile. Great job, Zach! | Andrea Adams | 07/09/2017 | $50.00 | Happy Running! Incredibly inspiring. | Anonymous Friend | 07/08/2017 | $25.00 | Thank you for making a difference, one mile at a time, Zach! Your message about AJ really touched us. We are proud to support you! | Brian Hall | 07/08/2017 | $50.00 | Awesome job Z. B and P should be very proud! | Stacy Marshall | 07/08/2017 | $50.00 | What an amazing goal! Enjoy, stay safe, and God Bless you and your team! | Julie Grebe | 07/08/2017 | $100.00 | SlyeStrong6 Forever | Garrett Goldstone | 06/25/2017 | $50.00 | What you're doing is awesome Zach! Run hard for AJ! | Kevin and Melinda White | 06/20/2017 | $100.00 | Zach, you are an inspiration! So proud of you. | Troy Stuart | 06/18/2017 | $100.00 | Thanks for doing this Zach | Todd Gaston | 05/14/2017 | $50.00 | We are so impressed with your aspiration. Good luck and God bless to you this summer! | Bill Woronka | 04/13/2017 | $200.00 | Good Luck Zach! See you in Canton!! | The Rose Family | 04/02/2017 | $50.00 | Inspiring! | SlyeStrong6 Foundation | 03/17/2017 | $600.00 | Brian Batt | 03/05/2017 | $150.00 | Zach, best wishes for a safe, enjoyable and spirited run across the U.S.A. Just remember Christ will have your back all the way! Love you! Grandma and Papa | Anonymous Friend | 02/27/2017 | $50.00 | don't sleep on iowa | Anonymous Friend | 02/17/2017 | $350.00 | Honorable! | Anonymous Friend | 02/16/2017 | $15.00 | Angela Snyder | 02/08/2017 | $50.00 | Zack you are an inspiration to all. We will be cheering you on. The Snyder's | Dave, Laura and Joey Slye | 01/30/2017 | $100.00 | We are so proud of you Zach! Take AJ with you across the country! #SlyeStrong6 | Emily Kish | 01/30/2017 | $50.00 | Zach- you are an amazing person! You ALWAYS have our support. We are very proud of your dedication to running and this cause. Can't wait to see you come through Canton, Ohio!!! Love you! Aunt Em and family! | George and Kathy Pavey | 01/27/2017 | $50.00 | What a wonderful cause Zach! Cancer touches so many of the ones we love. We will be praying for you and your team mates! Good luck! | Laura & Joe Filippi | 01/26/2017 | $50.00 | God Bless you and your journey! | Paige Pearson | 01/24/2017 | $100.00 | What an incredible thing you are doing Zach. Good luck to you and the entire group! | Kimber Gebura | 01/24/2017 | $50.00 | So inspirational! We'll be following your progress! | Kevin and Mary Anne Arata | 01/24/2017 | $100.00 | We are proud of you, old neighbor! What a great thing you are doing - you will touch many lives during this quest. Good luck! | Carrie Clancy | 01/23/2017 | $50.00 | Can't wait to follow your journey Zach! | Greg, Bernice, Cullen & Brody Guthrie | 01/23/2017 | $100.00 | Zach you are an inspiration! Best of luck to you and your team. Let's us know if there's anything else we can do to help. | Allie Brueck | 01/23/2017 | $50.00 | Good luck. So inspiring. | Sean Evans | 01/23/2017 | $10.00 | Julie Traini | 01/23/2017 | $50.00 | Zach!!! What a great message you are sharing to all. So proud of you. The Traini's wish you all the best. Stay healthy and keep running. God Bless | Spencer Miller | 01/23/2017 | $10.00 | Not only do you get my $10 you get all my support and love!! You're going to make a huge difference for people this summer and later in life! | Olivia Batt | 01/21/2017 | $75.00 | So proud of you Zach! You're really making a difference :) | Thomas Williamson | 01/20/2017 | $100.00 | Mark Heidi Alan Brandon Donahue | 01/20/2017 | $50.00 | Wish you the best on your run. Thanks for your committment to this cause. | Steven Rossi | 01/19/2017 | $160.00 | Noah Boyce | 01/19/2017 | $15.00 | I'm proud of you. Good luck! | Leopoldo Burguete | 01/15/2017 | $20.00 | Post lots of pictures of your travels and log your runs! Miss you kid, Polo | Jakob Lyman | 01/10/2017 | $30.00 | Good luck man! This is some inspiring stuff, stay strong out there! | Anonymous Friend | 01/09/2017 | $300.00 | Thank you for caring so much about others. Can't wait to follow you during your race. | Tori Flowers | 01/07/2017 | $25.00 | Jim & Jessica Polley | 01/03/2017 | $500.00 | Grandma and Grandpa Batt | 12/31/2016 | $500.00 | Good luck Zachary. We are very proud of you | Karen and Ray Kerrigan | 12/31/2016 | $200.00 | Good luck Zach! | Anna Pearson | 12/27/2016 | $10.00 | Remember me as the favorite Anna | Mike Morman | 12/24/2016 | $50.00 | I met your dad in Houston while doing 737 training. While talking about our kids he told me about your run. Thanks for doing such a great thing to support cancer research. | Amy Ellis | 12/22/2016 | $50.00 | Good Luck! | Denise & Dave Sebuck | 12/22/2016 | $100.00 | So proud of you Zach! You are such an inspiring role model in all that you do ❤ Thank you for raising awareness & help fight this battle that many can no longer fight. | Tim Dean | 12/21/2016 | $100.00 | You rock! | Larry, Becky, Emily and Jared Feicht | 12/21/2016 | $50.00 | This is awesome! We are so proud of what you are doing! | Dave Waltz | 12/20/2016 | $50.00 | Run Zach run. What a great cause! | Brian Batt | 12/19/2016 | $250.00 | So proud of you Zach! You continue to amaze us! Can't wait to see you at the finish :) | Emily Batt | 12/18/2016 | $55.00 | Proud of you big brother. You got this :) | Anonymous Friend | 12/17/2016 | $50.00 | I learned of your adventure while flying with your dad a few weeks ago. Incredible what you are doing. Good luck and God Bless. | Zachary Batt | 12/05/2016 | $100.00 |
| Total | $5,795.00 | ||