With 1 in 5 people developing cancer in their lifetime, no one is far removed from the impact of this disease. In reality, most of us are only one or two degrees of separation away from someone affected by cancer.

This realization became deeply personal for me earlier this year when my family let me in on a long-held secret. In 2011, my grandpa was diagnosed with colon cancer. Being just 7 years old at the time, my family decided to keep his diagnosis a secret from me and my siblings to protect our peace. While putting up his usual warm and cheerful face for us, my grandpa fought bravely in his battle against cancer. Fortunately, he had access to medical care that allowed him to undergo life-saving surgery, ultimately removing his tumor before it could spread.

While my grandpa’s story had a positive outcome, many others are not as fortunate. Socioeconomic barriers prevent countless individuals from receiving the timely diagnoses and treatments that could save their lives. Furthermore, recent cuts to research funding have impacted ongoing cancer research, which has limited the availability of spots in clinical trials. Participation in these trials is critical for patients who have exhausted all current treatment options and are hoping to benefit from potentially life-saving novel therapies.

I ride with Texas 4000 to raise awareness of these inequities and to fundraise for families who lack the necessary resources to support their loved ones through this fight. I ride for those like my grandpa, who choose to battle cancer in secrecy to protect their loved ones from the constant fear and uncertainty that comes with this disease.

How You Can Help

By supporting me on this journey, your donation benefits cancer research, treatment, and support services. Please consider donating or sharing my fundraising page to spread awareness of this important cause! If your company offers donation matching, your support could go twice as far—let me know and I can help with the process.

If you or someone you know has been impacted by cancer and would like to share their story, please feel free to reach out to me at andrewxia2904@gmail.com. I would be honored to dedicate my ride to their story. Thank you for your support and for joining me on this journey!

To Alaska and back,

Andrew Xia