Gyungin Moon
Gyungin is a junior at Towson University. In the summer of 2012 he is riding with a group of college students on a 70 day, 4000+ mile bike ride from Baltimore to San Francisco.
What is your connection with the cancer community?
Whenever I think about cancer, it`s not easy to avoid regret what I did or didn`t thing in the past. I couldn`t encourage others enough to keep going well against cancer. And sometimes, I think, I could be really happy if I don`t know the real aspect of cancer. That regret comes from my behavior and life that I didn`t do better to show more love, consideration and brave for them who have cancers. The regret coming from my poor consideration for them will last for a long time in my life. I have known cancer is connected to agony, sick and dead since I was an elementary student through the case of my uncle. My uncle was a strong fisher man but he died just few months after he was diagnosed with lung cancer. After that time I prayed and prayed that this catastrophe will never strike my family again. However, my grandmother was diagnosed with colon cancer just few years after my uncle died. All family members prayed for grandmother to have strong mind in fighting against cancer. As I kept caring her by side, I felt that every minute and second in fighting was disaster to her because physical and mental pains on her are hard to tolerate. Even though the pain was terrible, she never gave up and kept inspiring herself to win over cancer. And I`m so happy I can inform you that my grandmother is still alive and enjoy present and everything she has. I learnt that how much cancer can afflict patients and their family through her treatment. I truly believed that my grandmother was the last person who was tormented with cancer around me. Yet the shadow of cancer came again over my friend. I strongly believed that my friend could shake off cancer like a cold because he was young enough to win easily. He had had great laughter, beautiful mind and pure dreams so I thought God wouldn`t take him so fast. The saddest thing makes me regret and can`t shake off is that I can be more close to him and show more consideration for him. If I tried to understand his anxious mind and his terrible pain, I don`t regret so much like today. After his funeral I heard that he prepared everything for his funeral to relive burdens on his parents before one month he died. I pray to God for that there will be never happen again like these terrible things again and asking to make me stronger to help cancer patients.
Why are you riding the 4K for Cancer?
First of all I believe my activities in 4k will be a great way not only to change someone don`t care others` pain from cancer but also to more love my grandma and pay back my owe to my friend. Honestly there was nothing but only prayer I can do when my grandma was diagnosed with colon cancer. I wasn`t old enough to understand her agony. As I get older, I can feel more deeply what she has felt. So sometimes I regret that I could share her pain if I had more knowledge about cancer. As a member of 4k riding, I`ll get expertise on cancer so I can more understand my grandma and other patients. And sometimes I remind my friend who died because of bone cancer. We have known each other for a long time but it makes me sorry not to close to him more. Whenever his warm laughter comes to my mind, I feel like I owe my happiness to him. I can dream everyday about my future and laugh with all my friends but he had lived so painfully because of cancer. I often visit where he lies and talk to him that I will do my best to live passionately because I absolutely know today I live is tomorrow what he desperately wanted to live. Albert Schweitzer said “I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve” When I got old and look back on my life, then I really want to feel I have been living so happily. With 90 people, I can realize what is my weakness and sometimes encourage tired person during riding. Every stage for helping patients and riding will makes me learn the real meaning of volunteering, sacrifice and life.
