Over 4,000 miles later, the 2025 Illini 4000 team has successfully reached the end of their bike ride across America, arriving in San Francisco, California. This year, they raised over $60,000.
Since 2006, a team of students from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has biked across the country during summer break with a shared goal: to fight cancer. This year’s 17 riders have come a long way since the start of their journey, which began in New York City in early June.
The Illini 4000 is a non-profit organization dedicated to spreading cancer awareness and raising funds for research and patient support services. Throughout their journey, the group also connects with cancer survivors they meet along the way through The Portraits Project.
“We meet people impacted by cancer every single day and it truly brings you back to the mission of it all,” said Illini 4000 President, Jessica Fornek. “You realize how universal the experience is and how what we’re doing has an impact.”
On June 16, the Cancer Center at Illinois (CCIL) welcomed this year’s team at the Beckman Institute during their stop in Central Illinois. The CCIL is a proud supporter of the Illini 4000, and a portion of the funds they raise is dedicated to the institute.
To learn more about the Illini 4000, you can visit their website or find them on Instagram.
Editor’s Note:
This article was written by Florence Lin, CCIL Communications Intern