SPOTLIGHT Cancer Charity of the Day- TEXAS4000

Our SPOTLIGHT Cancer Charity of the Day is…… TEXAS 4000 for CANCER.

Texas 4000 for Cancer is comprised of a group of about 50 undergraduate students at The University of Texas at Austin. During the summer of 2011, a team will ride their bicycles 4,500 miles from Austin, Texas to Anchorage, Alaska to raise money for cancer research as well as spread their mission of hope, knowledge, and charity. They are the world's longest annual charity bicycle ride! Each rider on the team must individually raise $4,500 - $1 for each mile. In addition to their individual fundraising efforts, they have many team-fundraising events that contribute to their goal of $400,000. They spend the entire year leading up to the ride preparing and planning every detail out as a team - from where they stay each night (usually host families, schools, or churches) to what they eat. The 2011 team will be the 8th team to go on this journey. Their cancer-fighting group of 50 is split up into two routes, Rockies and Coastal, in order to maximize their community outreach and bring awareness about cancer prevention to as many people as they possibly can.

As Jessica Hanna, one of the riders explained

“This is more than just a bike ride. It's about spreading hope to those that have lost a loved one to cancer, sharing knowledge about cancer prevention, and gathering charity to float the amazing cancer research underway at M.D. Anderson Cancer Research Center and other institutions. In order to help improve the situation that is cancer, we must first do what we can ourselves to minimize cancer rates by spreading the word. In this way, we both make a big statement in the fight against cancer. It would be an honor to be considered to become a part of Abolish Cancer's efforts and on behalf of my team, we thank you for the opportunity!”

We encourage you to check out TEXAS4000 at www.texas4000.org and help contribute to their cause. If you would like to support TEXAS4000 through an @abolishcancer Twitterthon contact us at Bonham.Darah@Gmail.com.

“Power of the People, Through Twitter, to @abolishcancer”