Martha Barker Cycling for the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults

SLU PT student Martha Barker (DPT Class of 2015) is cycling for the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults! 

Read about Martha's journey below: 

With my graduation in May, I found a wonderful opportunity that combines raising funds for a wonderful cause as well as 10 days worth of service to communities throughout the United States.

A bit about the program: The Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults is a non-profit organization that works to form a community of support for young adults battling cancer as well as navigating survivorship. The 4K for Cancer is a section of this non-profit that offers cross country cycling and running journeys to create the supportive network across the more than 200 communities we visit. Groups of college-age students ride across America with the goal of offering hope, inspiration and support to their peers who are fighting cancer. The ride is a 70 day long event including 10 days of community service. Each rider is to raise $4500 in order to participate. The funds go to the support of the young adults who are battling cancer. More directly it goes to scholarships, support groups, and fertility preservation. 

Why I got involved: As I mentioned before, school has really been the center of my world for the past 6 years and has not allowed me a great deal of time to be involved in working with other and for others outside of my physical therapy studies and practice. When I found out about this wonderful opportunity, interviewed and was accepted, I could not have been more excited! I am about to start a very long career in the health care world. As a future physical therapist, my role is always to support the patient after their injury, diagnosis or surgery. I strongly believe that we all are given talents and it is up to us to use them creatively to support our neighbors. Because I am an active young adult who is passionate about comforting, supporting, and giving hope to those who have had big life changes, the 4K for Cancer was absolutely a perfect fit.

Why donate? Why Join: We have all had cancer touch our lives. For me, I have had family members and friends who have been diagnosed and who battled cancer. As a friend and family support, often times we feel overwhelmed and almost useless because there is so little you can do. We can't cure it, we can't make it go away. When fights seems big it is easy to feel invisible and intimidated. What I have come to realize, is that even small differences are differences. I am an active, young soon to be health professional who is passionate about providing a supportive network for my patients. I got involved because I am able to make a difference this way! I am physically able to ride my bike for 4,000 miles and I have to 70 days to do it because I am graduating. I have the passion and compassion to carry me through the journey. But just as I am trekking across the states to provide support, I too need the support from my neighbors. Every last penny goes to helping those young adults, our friends, our family members, who battle one of the toughest fights out there and need our help! No we can't change their diagnosis but we can change their fight by providing a community of hope and support!

Once again, thank you so much for taking the time to read through all of this.  I will attach the links to my page and the overall foundation page!

Links: 

about the Fund: http://www.ulmanfund.org/

info on the 4k: http://4kforcancer.org/

my personal page/donation page: http://4kforcancer.org/profiles/martha-barker/