My name is George Marquez and I am a senior in Government and Civil Engineering. Iâ??m set to graduate this coming December and after that I plan on hiking at least part of the Appalachian Trail and then enlisting in the Peace Corps. I want to go to developing countries (most likely Haiti or the Dominican Republic) to explore low-cost water treatment alternatives and teach the people of these countries that there are simple things that they can do to drastically improve their health.

Right now life is wonderful. I feel lucky to be alive and look forward to the path in front of me. I do everything I can to stay positive, easy going, open minded, and free of regret. And on the happiest of days I laugh and make hearty fun of the sad ones.

Many of my friends and family wonder why I want to ride my bike to Alaska for cancer when my options are endless and I am already so accomplished in other areas: skilled outdoorsman, child mentor, free-lance photographer, professional driver, non-commercial pilot, yoga instructor, critical thinker, field analyst, free-thinking liberal, political pundit, occasional philosopher, sports guru, novice rock climber, avid recycler, music aficionado, wine connoisseur, acclaimed masseuse, unlicensed doctor, Vegas card dealer, three-card monty hustler, pool shark, award-winning pumpkin carver, almost father, unbelievable lovemakerâ?¦ the list goes on. Not to mention, my ideas were behind three Nobel prize awards.

The decision to do this bike ride was not easy, but there comes a time in everyoneâ??s life when they must ask themselves, â??I am here becauseâ?¦?â? I have already asked myself that and now realize the answer â?? I am here to inspire people to do what they already can do but donâ??t know that they can. And thatâ??s what I hope to do in this trip.

I think that this bike ride is something that I can do and that I can do well, and I feel that my decision to do this will make me a more powerful person.

Cancer is an unforgiving killer. The number of cancer deaths each year serves as a perpetual reminder of the presence of cancer and our own vulnerability to the disease. Cancer, like Communism, starts from within and will grow at an uncontrolled rate if left unchecked.

My grandmother and aunt each fought losing battles against cancer. And just this year, cancer also claimed the life of one of my uncles. All this makes me take pause. But it shouldnâ??t take death to make us appreciate life. Life is precious, and if life is worth dying for then it surely is worth fighting for; to sit back and do nothing would be worse than foolish. If we are to stop cancer then we must keep fighting and maintain reassuring commitment to finding a cure.

By riding my bike to Alaska I hope to open peoplesâ?? minds to the seriousness of cancer and show those around me that the movement to find a cure is a cause well worth my time and energy.