Our mission is to unite in the fight against cancer by spreading awareness, raising funds, and fostering hope.
Web Site:
http://www.4kforcancer.org
501c3 Org.?:
No
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My URL: http://www.microgiving.com/profile/elizabeth_ann Offline |
Member Since: 03/09/09 | Login Count: 5 | Profile Views: 451 | Last Login: 03/24/09
Biography
I have finished classes at Johns Hopkins, and will be graduating this May with a BA in psychology. As for what lies ahead, I plan to pursue admission into medical school after a few years of further preparation and work experience. In the immediate future, I have been afforded the exciting opportunity to spend this summer embarking on an incredible journey. I will join 29 other college students in a 4,000-mile bike trek from Baltimore to San Francisco to spread awareness, raise funds, and foster hope in the fight against cancer. I was given this opportunity through the 2009 4K for Cancer, the eighth annual trek from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. This trip is completely student run, and I will personally be planning and running the third leg of the trip. I am contacting you in the hopes of gaining your support.
The 4K for Cancer is a non-profit organization that organizes cross-country bicycle tours benefiting the fight against cancer. University students plan the trip, cycle across the country, and volunteer within the communities they travel. Our mission is to inspire young people to engage with communities in the fight against cancer by spreading awareness, raising funds and fostering hope.
I currently have inordinate amounts of debt from student loans, and will continue to accrue more debt as I pursue my dream of becoming a physician. Despite this, I am not asking for money for myself. I am asking that you help support the mission of this organization, which I believe wholeheartedly in. Not only will a donation support cancer research, and aid in the rehabilitation of cancer patients, you will be helping to spread awareness to communities all across the country about this disease. A vast majority of cancer can be fought and beat if diagnoses early enough. A major mission of the 4K is to get out the word on early detection, so more people can catch their cancer before it catches them.
My Purpose
About the 4K for Cancer
The purpose of the ride is to unite communities across the country in the fight against cancer by spreading awareness, raising funds and fostering hope.
To spread awareness, we will be giving a cancer presentation in each town that we stop, highlighting statistics, facts, and preventative measures. Many past riders have chosen to do this trip more than once. These students inevitably meet people from their previous year again. One rider told me about a woman he had met who had attended their cancer presentation. Upon meeting this rider for the second time, she told him the presentation lead her to visit her doctor for a cancer screening. She was diagnosed with cancer, received treatment, and was in full remission by the time this rider had met her again. Even though this is the only story like this I’ve heard from a rider, I hope that many other stories like this resulted in the work of the 4K for Cancer over the years. I hope we will continue to create stories like this one as well.
To raise funds, each rider is required to raise a minimum of $4,000. Our team this year is projected to raise well over $100,000! From what I’ve heard, we’ve already raised around $30,000! To view a list of recipients of our donations please view the attached sheet outlining this information. Leg leaders work throughout the spring to secure free housing and donated food for the entire duration of the trip. All riders are responsible for the purchase of their bike, bike gear, and for the maintenance of their bike. If a rider were to raise above the $4,000 minimum requirement, this money may be used to offset the cost of their bike and other necessary equipment. Due to our very minimal operating costs (thanks to our generous hosts), a large majority of donations goes directly towards the foundations and institutions that we support at a significantly higher rate than most non-profit organizations.
To foster hope, as a 4K for Cancer team we will spend time this spring volunteering at a local American Cancer Society Hope Lodge, and will continue to make stops at Hope Lodges across the country. We will spend time getting to know the patients and their families in order to better understand their struggle while also fostering hope through our visits. On the road we will dedicate much of our time to community service. On past trips riders have participated in such activities as the Relay for Life in Cleveland, OH and visiting cancer patients at the Midland Hospice in Topeka, KS. Past riders have shared their astonishment at the number of incredible people they have met during these meaningful projects. The service activities this year will be chosen and organized by our two volunteer coordinators. Our nightly stops in churches and community centers also provide great opportunities for us to share our experiences with our gracious hosts. I hope that by sharing our enthusiasm throughout the journey, we will be a source of inspiration for the people that we meet along the way.
Operations
The trip is fully student run by the current riders with support from a board of directors made up of past riders. A leadership team of 9 individuals is selected each year. These positions include: 2 directors, 3 leg-leaders, 2 volunteer coordinators, 1 financial trip manager, and 1 public relations manager. This leadership team is responsible for the organization of the trip from now until the end of the summer. I was selected this year to be one of the leg leaders, planning and running the third leg of the trip �’ the stretch from Moab, Utah to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. I am very excited about leading the team into our destination and my hometown!
As a leg leader, I will be dedicating much of my time this spring towards contacting hosts for lodging and food support along my leg of the trip. I am also responsible for solidifying the directions along the route of my leg. During the trip, I will be the contact person with our hosts, and will direct the group each day towards our next destination.
As a team, we will wake up (very early!) each morning, say goodbye to our hosts, and dedicate the day’s ride ahead to family, friends, or someone we’ve met along our way. We will bike between 70 and 110 miles through America’s landscape to reach our next host, spreading awareness for our cause to everyone we meet along the way. We will arrive at our new host, enjoy getting to know them over dinner, and will give our presentation afterwards. We will spend time interacting with the community members until our exhaustion gets the best of us. The trek will be a physical and mental challenge, but it is one that we are excited to undertake.
4K History
Hopkins 4K for Cancer began in the fall of 2001 when co-founders Leah Blom and Ryan Hanley, sophomores at Johns Hopkins University, decided to combine their desire to do their part in the fight against cancer with their dream of cycling across the United States. This 4,000-mile journey from Baltimore to San Francisco was inspired by the memory of Ryan’s father, the late John Hanley, who died in 1995 from cancer.
The 2009 trip will be the 4K's eighth year. We have raised over $500,000 and have been recognized with several awards. In our first year, we were named the American Cancer Society’s “Special Event of the Year” and were presented with the first ever Pioneer Award, an honor specially created for our “innovative, creative, and trailblazing efforts in the fight against cancer.” In 2006, we received the “Outstanding Youths in Philanthropy Award” from the Association of Fundraising Professionals as well as the Excalibur Award from the ACS for exceptional dedication to the fight against cancer.
My Interests
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Getting To Know Me
What is most important thing in your life? impacting the lives of others
What is your favorite day? Saturday
What is your favorite season? Summer
What is your favorite meal? Breakfast
If you could have one super power, what would it be? to make people laugh without fail
If you could build a house anywhere, where would it be? anywhere there is a beach
Description: The 4K for Cancer Donates primarily towards the American Cancer Society's Baltimore
Hope Lodge and towards the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center of Baltimore.
Upwards of 80% of all donations go directly towards these organizations. The remainder
helps to fund the cross country bike trip. Trip expenses are limited to gas for our
support vans, bikes, and very limited food. All housing, and a vast majority of food is
donated to the riders.
My progress: Each rider must not only ride 4,000 miles across country, but must also raise $4,000
towards the 4K for Cancer fund. I have thus far raised $500 on my own, through contacting
friends and family, but I need a lot more help to reach my goal!
This is a short term need assistance request .
My message:I am serving as a member of the leadership council for this years trip. My title is "3rd Leg Leader." This means I am personally planning the third leg of the trip this spring, and also that I will be running this leg during the summer. This is a tremendous amount of work. Much of my focus has thus far been on the planning of the trip. Therefore, I could use help fundraising towards the rest of my goal.
Supporting Documentation: 4K for Cancer has the following documentation
Progress:
$ (0%)
Still needed: $3500
Request was active: 456 days
Request created: Mar 9th, 2009 | Request views: N/A | Request modified 1 time(s) | Last modified: Mar 9th, 2009
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Member Since: 03/09/09 | Login Count: 5 | Profile Views: 451 | Last Login: 03/24/09 
