Fundraising for Ulman again :)
Hey friends! I have very exciting news: Jima and I will be raising money for the Ulman Foundation, just like we did with our team in 2023! The 4K For Cancer program is no longer active, but there is still the opportunity for anyone to open a fundraising page to support young adults with cancer. A couple weeks ago, Jima saw a post on instagram that showed a team of young men who decided to replicate the 4K event with their own fundraiser ride from Williamsburg, Virginia to San Francisco, California. Jima immediately shared this with me and said, “maybe I can fundraise for Ulman.” A couple days after that and he had a fundraising page of his own!
In a way, my journey north is separate from this fundraiser — my primary goals are to experiment with this 100% human-powered adventure using second hand gear, and producing very little waste. I go into more depth about these in this post. However, I’m very happy to be collaborating with Jima and the Ulman Foundation again to raise money for a fantastic organization!
In case you’re new to my blog, or need a refresher, Ulman puts all of their time and resources into helping young adults and their families navigate cancer diagnoses. They are based in Baltimore and even have a place where patients can stay while they receive treatment — the Ulman House. The Ulman team provides critical community, guidance, resources, and expert support for young adults facing the number one disease killer of 20- to 39-year-olds. Because no one should face cancer alone.
If the work of the Ulman Foundation feels meaningful to you, please consider donating to Jima’s page. Also, if you or a loved one has been affected by cancer, please reach out if you would like to share your story (with just me, or I’d be happy to write a post about you or your loved one). In 2023, we dedicated each day to a cancer victim or survivor by reading their story out loud and riding with their name(s) written on our arms or legs. With long days and inevitable interpersonal conflicts, the dedication circle reminded us every morning why we were doing it.
I will never forget when I shared the story of my high school soccer coach, Matt Blue, who was living with colon cancer at the time. The whole team joined me in dedicating their days to Coach Blue and I couldn’t stop crying for the first 10 miles of our ride. I never expected to be so moved, nor supported by a group of people who were total strangers just two months prior. Getting to share the lessons I learned from one of the most important people in my young life, and give back to him at least a tiny bit by dedicating that day to him will always be one of the most meaningful days of my life.
It was a perfect coincidence that it was also the most physically challenging and absolutely gorgeous days of the trip (at least in my opinion). Blue always pushed me and my teammates to give our best effort, but it wasn’t just that he pushed us, — anyone can yell at kids to try harder — it was the way he pushed us. The environment that he created made us want to work hard and reach our potential. I can at least speak for myself in saying that I always felt like Blue would run through a brick wall for me, and thus I would do the same for him. Blue smiled through his entire cancer journey until he left of us in early 2024. He preached positivity, not in a cliché, “be happy!” kind of way, but in a realistic way. In a little speech he gave during one of his fundraisers, he advised the crowd not just to enjoy the beautiful moments in life, but the mundane and shitty moments too. Because being upset doesn’t change the situation. I wish I could quote him more accurately, and I know that his advice is certainly much easier said than done, but I think about it quite often. But I think more important than any advice or wisdom he shared, was the way he made people feel. Anyone can say “wise” words, but not everyone can make you remember what they mean.
I didn’t mean to take over this post with a monologue about Coach Blue, but I hope it helps to color in the points I was trying to make. Again, I’d be honored if you shared your story.
