Summer break presents a slew of opportunities for college students: a seasonal job, an internship, a research lab experience, or well-earned time off.
One opportunity looks much different than most.
It involves hopping on a bicycle and riding more than 4,000 miles across the country with a singular mission: fight cancer.
Since 2006, Illini 4000 riders – made up of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign students – have spent their summer traveling the U.S. to bring awareness to cancer and raise money for research and patient support services. The non-profit organization also connects with survivors through The Portraits Project.
Photo by Fred Zwicky
The Cancer Center at Illinois (CCIL) welcomed this year’s team at the Beckman Institute on June 16 during a stop in Central Illinois. The CCIL has been a proud supporter of the organization since the institute’s inception, and a portion of the team’s fundraising total is donated to CCIL efforts. This year’s group is made up of 17 riders, including second time participant and Illini 4000 President, Jessica Fornek.
“We meet people impacted by cancer every single day and it truly brings you back to the mission of it all,” she said. “You realize how universal the experience is and how what we’re doing has an impact.”
The group started its journey late last month in New York City and is expected to cross the finish line in San Francisco in August.
“I’m really enjoying getting to see the team bond with one another,” said Fornek. “We had four days in a row that were 100 miles – and it was also in West Virginia, which is super hilly. The climbing was hard, but it’s been super fun, too.”
The fun will continue as the team embarks on the next leg of its journey, which you can follow on the website and Instagram.
Photos by Fred Zwicky
This story was written by Jessica Clegg, Senior Marketing and Outreach Coordinator