Jose Nino
Jose is a freshman at the Johns Hopkins 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 Seattle.
What is your connection with the cancer community?
My connection to the cancer community started over a year ago at the time I was writing my college applications. The tragedy invaded my family swiftly and violently, like the angry thorn of a rose. During October 2010 my Aunt Dalila had a rough week of very intense headaches. All of her sons and daughter are doctors and thought it was not a serious matter. However, by the headaches were very persistent and it was necessary to run some tests. To all of our family's surprise my Aunt was diagnosed with brain cancer. It was a very aggressive tumor, but surgery and chemotherapy had a chance of helping her. To our sorrow, however, the advancement of the cancer was as fast and aggressive. By the end of October my aunt had passed away. My connection with the cancer community was very brief and it left me very confused with the disease and the ephemeral quality of life. I want to understand it, I want to take time to grasp what happened, and 4K is the catalyst.
Why are you riding the 4K for Cancer?
There are 14 dead people for every person alive. We each have the duty to remember; because if there is no one to remembering, then the dead are just gone and no single life was wrath living. Do not get me wrong, this is a beautiful realization. It is a commitment. I believe my aunt deserves to be remembered and her life commemorated. It is for her, her family, and my family that I am riding the 4k: so that this way, through my ride, we may all remember.
