Today, more than 50 students will depart from the U. Texas campus to begin the trek of their lives — riding bicycles from Austin to Alaska to fight cancer. One year ago, these same individuals began their journey together in Austin as they met and got to know each other for the first time. Since then, they have raised more than $300,000 to contribute to the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, learned about current developments in cancer research, trained many miles on bicycles and formed lifelong friendships. In just a few days, the long months of preparation will end as the group departs from Austin to spread hope and knowledge all the way to Anchorage, Alaska.

I am honored to be a part of this team and to be able to pedal in the tracks of Chris Condit, founder of Texas 4000, and all the riders who rode before me. My experience with the seventh annual Texas 4000 team has taught me many things, but most importantly, I learned that service is so much more than fundraising or volunteering. The Texas 4000 fight against cancer serves the local Austin community and the national community. It forms lasting friendships, spreads awareness and hope and inspires people to join the cause. In this way, Texas 4000 showed me and others that fighting for a cause can be successful as well as self-enriching.

As I prepared for my trip to Alaska, people asked me many questions about the ride. Usually these questions began with, “How many days do you ride?” and covered topics from where we sleep to what we pack. I am realizing in these past few days, however, that being part of Texas 4000 is much more than the physical ride to Alaska. After all, the ride will only consist of about one-seventh of the time I have already spent with Texas 4000. Reflecting on my first year with the team, I have noticed the many ways the organization has already touched the riders and the UT and Austin community around us.
We grew as a community, and in return, a community grew around us to provide support for ourselves and our cause. As a team, we not only prepared and trained, we volunteered at various events and interacted with the communities around us that were all touched by our work in different ways. Along our journey we encountered the cycling community, the cancer community, the medical research community, the student community, the philanthropic community and others. Our numbers may be small, but I have no doubt that the way in which we touch people’s lives is unique. Several weeks ago, a woman with whom we volunteered at the Dell Children’s Medical Center stopped me on the street, seeing my jersey, and wished me luck. Through small instances like these, I saw that even before our ride, Texas 4000 has connected individuals and spread hope. The community’s strong support has shown me that though cancer can have devastating effects, there are countless people willing to fight the good fight. Some do this through supporting organizations such as Texas 4000, some through research or teaching, some as patients or friends and family and others as doctors. We all face cancer by banding together and keeping our hope strong.

The ride itself will be a life-changing experience, but the 12 months before June 4 have been such an experience already. I was nervous for Day Zero because I thought that the next 70 days would fly by and all too soon I would be back in Austin and through with Texas 4000. After reflecting on the past year, I see that this is only my beginning with Texas 4000. Our team has a strong support system in the UT and Austin community. On August 13, we may end our ride, but we will not end our service. When we return, we will join the Texas 4000 alumni and remain in touch with those who have helped us and those we have helped. In this way, Texas 4000 is more than just a student organization or a summer bike ride. We are a life-changing experience that creates a lasting support system of volunteers and individuals excited to battle cancer no matter what kind of experience they may have had with the disease.