Lauren Bates is a senior at The College at Brockport SUNY. In the summer of 2018, she will be traveling with a group of college-aged students on a 49-day, 4000+ mile run from San Francisco to Boston, raising money and awareness for the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults.

What is your connection to the cancer community? 

As I have grown into the young adult I am today, cancer has taught me what community means. When I was growing up my childhood friend Courtney Wagner was diagnosed with Stage Four Brain Cancer. She was my friend, and my teammate. Watching her battle cancer for four years was very hard, but my community stepped up and helped to remind her and her family that we all loved her and believed in her. Courtney battled like the strongest warrior I have ever seen for four years until she just could not battle anymore. Since Courtney passed I run everyday with her in mind. I hold her memory with me whenever I compete because she was always her best self when she competed on the soccer field or basketball court. My soccer and track and field coach in high school also passed away from cancer. Coach Dedrick was one of my first coaches, and again when he was diagnosed our community came together in support. My high school track team won two sectional championship titles because we were not just running for ourselves, but we were running for him. Cancer is a disease that has made me angry and frustrated, but Courtney and Coach Dedrick taught me that we cannot be afraid of this disease and instead we have to come together as a community in order to find a cure. Until we do I will always support the cancer community to help bring awareness and fundraise to help other kids like Courtney that are fearless, brave, and teach the rest of us to live our lives to the fullest.

Why are you traveling 4,000 miles this summer with the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults? 

I am running in honor of Courtney Wagner, and to spread the message of hope, love, and support for other children and their families that face cancer diagnoses. I love to run, and I am currently a division three cross country and track and field athlete at the College at Brockport. Being on a team is how I first befriended Courtney, and being on a team in college is how I made my best friends. I believe in the power of teamwork and when I saw that the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults puts on the 4k for Cancer every summer I became very excited to join another team with other college-aged runners from across the country. I am traveling 4,000 miles to challenge myself to run farther then I ever have before and to push myself to help as many people as I can across the country. I want to fundraise as much money as I can for childhood cancer research because when it comes to cancer research childhood cancer does not receive enough funding, and I hope to do my part to fight for a cure. I am running for all the young adults that cannot run anymore, and I’m running for all of their families to provide support and hope in their time of need.

2018 marks the 17th 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 a 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!