4K For Cancer Run 2016

My name is Gina Henley. I grew up in Akron, New York and graduated from high school in 2014. I am currently a sophomore at Lake Erie College, located in Painesville, Ohio, and a member and captain of both the cross country and track team. I have been running since I was in middle school and it has grown to be a huge part of my life. In this upcoming summer, I will be participating in the 4K For Cancer Run, which involves groups of college students travelling across the U.S. by foot or by bike and supporting the cancer community along the way. The group I am a part of will be travelling from San Francisco, California all the way to Baltimore, Maryland over a span of 49 days. The ultimate goal of this journey is to raise money, awareness, and support for the cancer community that surrounds us. Throughout this journey, we will be participating in many community activities in order to directly help individuals and families affected by cancer. These activities include visiting cancer patients, taking part in community dinners and giving cancer awareness presentations. Getting ready for this run involves mental and physical preparation. It also involves raising funds and collecting donations. Each runner has to raise a minimum of $4,500 by May 15th, which is about a month before the run begins. Although $4,500 is the minimum, the more funds we each raise, the better the impact we ultimately have on the cancer community! The goal for the group as a whole is to raise $1,000,000 and we are currently at 20% of that goal amount. All of the money raised goes directly to the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults, which is an organization that supports young people and their loved ones whose lives are impacted by cancer. The goal of the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults is to ensure that young adults are not alone when facing cancer, and that they have the resources necessary to effectively navigate their cancer journey — physically, emotionally, and beyond. I decided to participate in the 4K For Cancer run because it combines doing something I love, running, with supporting a great cause. Running has always been a huge part of my life, but it means so much more knowing that I'm doing it for a meaningful purpose. Cancer affects almost everyone in one way or another throughout their lives, so I am proud to be a part of this amazing organization and excited to have the opportunity to help those impacted by cancer.