Muireann Phelan
Muireann is a student at Towson University where she is studying Business Management. In the summer of 2011 she is riding with a group of college students on a 70 day, 4000 mile bike ride from Baltimore to Portland. Money raised by our riders goes to support 4K for Cancer's mission of spreading awareness, fostering hope and uniting communities across the county in the fight against cancer. We do this through cancer education programs, health screenings and by visiting cancer patients at hospitals, cancer centers and hospices each day during the ride. 4K also gives financial support to local, cancer centric non-profits in the communities we bike through.
Cancer affects everyone it comes across, and in all honesty it truly stinks. After spending numerous hours at my fathers bedside, and in hospital rooms I can truly say that I am not a big fan of hospitals. They have slowly begun to scare me.
Over a year ago my father was diagnosed with cancer. We found out about a month after I graduated from high school, and I remember that day as if it were yesterday. Since then being in and out of the hospital, and going to and from chemotherapy and radiation appointments has become a part of my family’s daily lifestyle. The thought of cancer is constantly on my mind and it adds more stress to my already stressful college life. It has been over a year since my dad was diagnosed, and we still don’t have an exact name for his type of cancer (leave it to my dad to get an unknown type of cancer, he always needs to be different). I've seen how my mother and older brother deal with the thought of cancer and it has helped me cope positively. Without the care and help of my family and friends I don’t know what I would do. I draw my strength from them. I can say that my dad is the strongest person I know and I love him for that.
My dad isn’t the only person in my life that has cancer, another member of my family has sadly just lost her battle with this vicious disease. She was such a strong woman and she will be missed greatly. The fight against cancer isn’t only for the people diagnosed, everyone they know and love fight with them at their side.
Being part of the 4k is my way of showing those who are personally battling the disease that I care and want each and every one of them to stay strong, and beat cancer. I understand that this bike ride will be challenging not only physically, but emotionally and spiritually. I believe that I will be able to finish this 4,000 mile journey with life long friends, a new outlook on life in general, and many incredibly inspiring stories. The excitement I have to embark on this adventure is almost too much to bear! The thought of being able to help people in communities across America by spreading cancer awareness is awesome and something that I am so happy to be a part of.
Thank you so much for your support, any donation is helpful and greatly appreciated no matter how small.
