Illini 4000 Summer 2017-Collin McKeough

awareness for cancer research and support services. Throughout the past 6+ months my 26 Illini 4000 teammates and I have raised over $100,000 for our benefactors which include Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation, the American Cancer Society, Camp Kesem, and B+. Along the route this summer we will have the opportunity to visit with many of these beneficiaries, and learn more about the impact we are making in the fight against cancer. We will also have the opportunity to document the American cancer experience through the Portraits Project. The project aims to create a network for cancer patients, caretakers, families, and survivors by sharing the experiences and lessons of those similarly affected by cancer. Now I would be lying if I did not tell you I am excited to experience some of the amazing things we will encounter along our ride. Our route will take us across 14 states and through some of the country’s most beautiful sights, including New York City, the Chicago Lakeshore, Tetons, Badlands, Yellowstone, Crater Lake and then eventually across the Golden Gate Bridge. In addition to the sights we will have the opportunity to experience many other awesome activities such as hiking in national parks, rafting down rivers, and sightseeing in some of America’s most beautiful cities. So, I guess that gets me to the purpose of this page. I would like to be able to share these many amazing experiences along my journey with my amazing family and friends. I will be updating this page with pictures, videos, and stories throughout my ride. Please feel free to follow along and share my posts as you wish. Not only will you get to see some of my experiences, but you will also help increase awareness for our organization and its cause. When people hear that you are biking across the country they often wonder why you are doing it. Biking across the country is no easy task, so what motivates us? To my teammates and I the answer to that question is simple and it is an answer that many of you probably share, we all know someone affected by cancer. These are the people that motivate us throughout each of the 4,772 miles we ride, a journey that fails in comparison to the journey that those affected by cancer must go through in their fight. If these people can battle cancer, why can’t we go for a bike ride? Or share a Facebook post to raise awareness for the cause? If they can fight cancer, why can’t we fight to end it?