I ride in support of those close to me who have directly been affected by cancer. The main reason I joined Texas 4000 was for my best friend and fellow rider, Carolina Mendez. I met Carolina my first day at UT, and since then, we’ve gone on to be in Natural Sciences Council, the same research lab, and now Texas 4000 together. She’s easily the craziest person I know (in the best way), but more importantly, she’s immensely ambitious and displays incredible strength. Her dad is battling pancreatic cancer, and her whole family is fighting alongside him. Although I can’t grasp the magnitude of what she’s going through, I became aware of just how cruel cancer can be. I felt compelled to play a role in the fight against cancer, and luckily, I came across this inspiring organization. I want to ride beside Carolina to let her know that I will always fight with her.

Another reason I ride is for my mom. When she came to the United States for college, my grandma was diagnosed with cancer, and eventually my grandpa was too. Right before my grandpa found out, he was in the United States taking care of me and my older brother but went back to China for treatment. Both of my grandparents were diagnosed in late stages due to severely lacking resources they needed for early diagnosis and prevention. Since they both passed away while my mom was relatively young, she had to face the realities of adult life sooner than most. She’s forever grateful to her parents for giving her the opportunity to build a life in the United States but wishes they could be with her now to see the success of their sacrifices. I never got the chance to know my grandparents growing up, so I ride to honor their memory.

Joining Texas 4000 has opened my eyes to so many stories, and I am even more inspired and grateful to be a leader in the fight against cancer. I will take the stories that brought me here to Alaska along with the ones that are shared with me on this journey. I have the privilege to spread hope, knowledge, and charity with an incredible group of people that I'm fortunate enough to call my team.

I would greatly appreciate it if you could donate to this cause or share this page with others. Don't hesitate to reach out to me if you would like me to ride for someone or want to learn more about Texas 4000!

To Alaska and back,
Addison