Cali Caughie
Cali is a junior at Western Washington University. In the summer of 2012 she is riding with a group of college students on a 70 day, 4000+ mile bike ride from Baltimore to Seattle.
What is your connection with the cancer community?
I think it's hard not to be connected with the cancer community, as cancer pervades the deepest reaches of our society. From family and friends affected by the disease to more distant people whom meander through my world, cancer seems to infiltrate my life ceaselessly as it does to so many others. I meet its victims in my home and on the street; I see its impact on the faces of peers and strangers alike. Cancer shapes our lives whether we like it or not. Seeing as we can’t avoid this aspect of society for the time being, I believe we may as well try to engage with it in as positive a way as we can.
Why are you riding the 4K for Cancer?
Volunteering at Seattle Children' Hospital, I have spent time one on one with young children faced with the frightening diagnosis of cancer. Sitting at their bedside, playing games and chatting lightheartedly; I can't but be fraught with the notion of their futures. There is so much potential in these kids that can be significantly aided by community support. There is so much potential in every individual, and the diagnosis of cancer slinks in and can devastate this capacity. Yet although cancer is at the forefront of illnesses hitting our nation and our world, it is also a disease which is well supported by hope: hope for a cure, hope for communities and hope for the individuals which grace our lives. So many things are seemingly impossible to fight but I don't think cancer can be counted as one of them. We can help. That’s empowering. That’s why I’m riding for the 4k. I like biking too.
