McKenzie Stevens is a graduate student at Spalding University. In the summer of 2017 she will be traveling with a group of college-aged students on a 49 day, 4000+ mile run from San Francisco, CA to New York, NY. 

What is your connection to the cancer community?

I have run across many people in my life who have dealt with or who are still dealing with cancer. One of my strongest connections to the cancer community is through my best friend. Her brother was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of Sarcoma at the young age of 23. He bravely battled through cancer for fifteen months. A month before his 25th birthday he left his final touches on Earth.  While cancer may have taken his life, it did not take his soul.  He never let his cancer dampen his young and vibrant personality. He never complained or asked for help even in his weakest moments. He was always optimistic and went out and conquered each day with a smile. I saw my best friend and her family go through things that no one should have to go through. He was always such an inspiration because of the way he continued to live his life even after his diagnosis. He still went fishing, played his music and enjoyed a few cold ones every now and then. His laughter was contagious and he filled everyone around him with hope. I continue to support him as much as I can by contributing to the memorial fund that was set up in his honor. I wear my Team Steven shirt proudly when I run races and wear a bracelet daily reminding me to live strong and fight sarcoma.  

 Why are you traveling over 4000 miles this summer with the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults?

It is a true honor to be a runner for the 4K for Cancer.  To many people, it may sound completely absurd to run across the country, but I feel that it makes such a strong statement.  Cancer is a long and hard battle that too many people have to face.  There are highs and lows, happiness and sadness, pain and euphoria, and struggles and accomplishments.  Running to me provides many of the same feelings.  I know there are days that I don’t want to run, I feel lousy and it’s hard to pick my feet up off the ground, but the same goes for those with cancer. Unfortunately, people with cancer don’t have a choice whether they go through these steps each day.  In order to continue to fight, they have to get up every day and make strides in order to keep fighting and pushing through.  As a 4K runner, I will push myself to go through what so many people with cancer deal with on a daily basis. 

Giving up is never an option with cancer and giving up on a goal is never an option for me. I’ll never forget when I was running a half marathon and I was feeling just down in the dumps that day.  It was raining, I had a cramp and nothing was going my way. It wasn’t until I saw Steven standing on the side of the road that I realized if he can be committed to fighting for everyday of his life, then I can be committed to running for one more hour. It’s moments like that where my problems seem so small and make me appreciate my good health. I want to be committed to everything I do because by doing so I can be confident in saying that I always gave it my all. 

I want to honor those lives that are lost by cancer and show hope for the ones who are still battling.  I want to run for those who can’t.  I know that I can’t change the world by running across the country, but I hope that I can impact a few people along the way; whether that be a family member of a loved one, a person going through treatment, or just a bystander. I hope to inspire others to continue to push forward no matter the obstacles they may face. 

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!