In the next year and a half, I will be training in order to prepare for a 4,500 mile charity bike ride from Austin, TX to Anchorage, AK! Through this ride, my team and I hope to share the stories of those who have been affected by cancer as well as spread knowledge. 

Donations will go towards funding grants given to cancer research centers and charities. These grants will be given by the team during the summer ride. A part of the donations will also be used to fund the riders along their summer ride (ex. supplies, equipment, etc). 

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WHY I RIDE:

I ride for bà ngoại and my family.

It’s been a while since I’ve thought about my grandmother who used to kiss my feet every time I visited. It was so quick; how she seemed so strong at one point yet unbeknownst to us would later become extremely frail. I was only seven years old when my grandmother passed away from breast cancer.

Comparatively, her death was quite a long time ago, and I can’t really say that I remember my memories from over ten years ago all too well. However, she still leaves an impact in my heart and the hearts of my entire family. She was an amazing mother of four sons and four daughters. Adding all the grandchildren into the mix meant the creation of a crazy family, but she was loving to us all. The older I’ve gotten, the more I want to preserve her memory especially after the passing of my grandfather in the following years. I ride for my grandmother, my grandfather, and my entire family who watched the most loving and strong woman lose her battle against cancer.

I ride for my friends and the community.

Stories last a lifetime, cherishing the memories of those who have passed and honoring those who have made the largest impact in our lives. I have heard stories of friends or people in my community who have struggled with cancer, who are currently struggling with cancer, or have family who are undergoing treatment. Most often, these stories are followed with a sense of hopelessness and a sense of desperation. Cancer, many times, comes to families as a surprise; victims feel cursed while friends and relatives feel like there is nothing they can do. Thus, I ride for all these families who have lost hope and have struggled to cope. I ride for those who wish to tell their own story or share the story of a loved one. No matter what, cancer does not define a person’s story.

I ride for my teammates and those wanting to make a difference.

Being a part of this organization is about being a part of a group of people who are selfless and want to show exactly how actions speak louder than words. Biking those 4500 miles is not an easy feat, but making the decision to bike those miles and make a difference is one I would make multiple times, any day. I ride for Texas 4000 as a way to provide hope to victims, showing that there is a future past cancer treatments. Raising money would allow for better cancer research, more rapid detection, and more effective treatments. I ride for my teammates’ stories, and I ride for the stories us as a team will be able to share as we embark on our journey towards Alaska.

I ride for bà ngoại.
I ride for my family.
I ride for my friends.
I ride for my teammates.
I ride for the community.

To Alaska and back.