4K for Cancer is about creating a nationwide community of support for cancer patients and their families, and along the way, our riders and runners often create relationships that last a lifetime.
Team Portland 2016 riders Francesca Genoese and Justin Strathe met during 4K for Cancer, and they got engaged in July 2018 while hiking in Banff National Park. They are currently living in Lexington, KY, where Francesca is finishing her master’s degree in sports medicine at the University of Kentucky and is working as an athletic trainer, and Justin is working as a financial analyst at a manufacturing company. After Francesca’s graduation in May 2019, the two plan to move to Colorado.
“While spending 24 hours a day, seven days a week together, and seeing each other at our worst and at our best, it didn’t take long for us to realize that perhaps there might be potential for more than just friendship between us,” said Francesca. “I was very confident by the end of the trip that this relationship was going to last. We decided that this was the real deal and that we could not afford to let each other go.”
The wedding will take place in October 2019 in Oklahoma City, OK, and, in addition to friends and family from across the country, all of Justin’s and Francesca’s 4K teammates will be in attendance.
“Every day we are thankful for our 4K experience,” said Francesca. “The friendships we made, the people we met along the route, the places we saw, the things we learned, and especially for the relationship we were able to build and continue after our ride.”
4K for Cancer is a great way to create lasting relationships centered around a cause that is dear to our hearts. If you are interested in joining or learning more about 4K for Cancer, visit https://4kforcancer.org
“It’s crazy to think that 4K brought me to my future wife, but I can’t imagine life any other way,” said Justin. “Team Portland was the weirdest bunch of friends anyone could ever imagine, but it’s easy to say we’ll be friends for a lifetime.”