Senior Civil Engineering student from Pasadena, TX.

In January of 2002 I was diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma, a non-cancerous brain tumor that required immediate surgery and later radiation therapy. After several months of intense physical, occupational, and cognitive therapy, I was able to return to school. Prior to all this, I had a burning desire to take an extended road trip on my bicycle. I had a good bicycle, I was getting together good camping gear, and I was choosing destinations and planning routes around central Texas. However, because of the trauma from surgery, radiation, and mental stress, I began to doubt if I would ever be able to go on a bicycle tour. Since I had such an active lifestyle prior to my diagnoses, I had become increasingly frustrated with the lack of any physically challenging activities. To ease my frustrations, I continued my physical therapy with a routine exercise program, which including running, swimming, and bicycling.

Completing the Texas 4000 for Cancer bicycle tour will accomplish two personal goals. The first is the fulfillment of a desire to ride in an awesome bike tour with awesome people. The second is to support the fight against cancer. I never met my grandfather because he died of kidney and lung cancer before I was born. Also the tumor I had was not cancer, but the treatment I received was supported by cancer research; cancer specialists treated me at a cancer hospital. If I could walk back into that hospital and talk to all the doctors, nurses, and therapists who helped me and tell them that, because of you, I had the most excellent bike ride, I would feel really good. And to make a good thing better, this ride will promote cancer awareness in the communities we visit along the way and be a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society.