About Me

Profile

About: ¡Hola! My name is Alexandria Lawrence, but please just call me Alex. Born in the Golden State of California, I packed my bags at age 4 and got to Texas as fast as I could. I was raised by hard-working parents, with my dad having an insatiable hunger for adventure. I am the oldest child with one younger sister who has just joined me at the University of Texas, and whom I am thankful for every day. I was raised near the Gulf in Clear Lake, Texas. With NASA practically in my backyard, it wasn’t ever hard to appreciate science and all that we’ve done as the human race. Ever since I was little, my mother encouraged my sister and I to work our hardest in all that we strove to do. I take this determination with me every single day.

Currently I am attending the University of Texas at Austin and am in my junior year. I joined Texas Spirits last year and I’ve been grateful for that decision ever since. The girls in that organization are all so different and hard-working and drive me to reach for my goals. I have held several positions as an undergraduate teaching assistant playing the role of a mentor and I love being able to teach students about all the things they need to know for class as well as giving them advice about everything related to campus life, what to do in Austin, and just about anything else really. I am majoring in Human Biology, concentrating in Pathogenesis and Immunity, and am determined to change the world, one disease at a time.

Every step I’ve taken in my life has led me to this point where I feel like anything is possible with hard work, determination, and a good cup ‘o joe. Not everything is easy. I have had enough experiences to know that’s true. I don’t know what the future has in store for me, but I am prepared to take it head-on. Life is about experiences and appreciating the beauty of all we have around us. I am ready to step on into the future, head held high, singing as I march forward.

Why I Ride

I ride for my grandmother. Patricia Lawrence was born to dairy farmers in the beautiful state of Vermont. It was here that she met my grandpa in a dance hall just outside of Burlington. They were married after several years of courting and had five children, one of whom is my father. When my grandfather received a scholarship to attend school at the University of Texas, they packed their bags and headed south. Now fast forward sixty years. Grandma and grandpa had a small house in Kyle, deep in the heart of Texas. She reminded me of Spring, when all the wildflowers were in bloom. Grandma was a strong woman, but I never heard a harsh word escape her lips. She brought peace to my large, crazy family. I was in high school when we received the news that she had been diagnosed with lung cancer. The news hit like a brick wall. Up until this point, I had been blessed to have not been directly affected by cancer. But now the battle was personal. For three years I watched Grandma fight the disease that would soon take over her body and steal her strength. She was a woman of God though, and the strength she did have she received from her faith. I cherished every second I had with her. On May 25, 2012, we received the phone call that she had passed. There is one memory of her I will always cherish the most. Weeks before she passed, she took my hand, looked me in the eye and said, “Alex, life is beautiful. You just have to pay attention.” Well grandma, I’ve been looking. You were right.

I ride for Monet Asuncion. Mrs. Monet is a pediatrician and the mother of three, wonderful girls. She is so close to our family and I see her as an aunt. It’s Ms. Monet who helped me discover my love of medicine. She’s been to every birthday party and family event and is one of the most generous people you will ever meet. While I was in high school, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was hard new for all of us, but immediately my family stepped in to do all that they could. Many of her in-laws also stepped up to the plate to help lift her up. It’s been a long and difficult journey, and we’ve recently found out that her cancer has spread. However, the battle is not yet over and we are all here, fighting for her and showering her with our love and support. Mrs. Monet, you are one of the strongest women I’ve ever known.

I ride for Ava and Michael. During my freshman year of college I had the opportunity to volunteer in the Pediatric Hematology and Oncology clinic at Dell Children’s Medical Center. On my first day, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Most of these children were 3 or 4 years old and were already thrust into the battle with cancer. The experience came as a surprise though. All of the medical assistants, nurses, and oncologists had smiles on their faces. The feeling of the clinic is hard to describe. Everyone in there was just so passionate and wanted do all they could for these children. The medical assistant whom I worked for had even shaved her head to stand in solidarity with the kids starting their chemotherapy treatments. In all my experience there, there are two children who I will never forget. Ava walked into the office one morning, a giant bow in her brown hair that was beginning to fall out because of her chemo therapies. Her parents stood with her as she was having her height and weight checked. “Team Ava”, their shirts read. Team Ava. I’ve been Team Ava ever since the day that sweet little girl with the world’s biggest smile walked into the office and I saw the twinkle in her eyes and the strength and determination on her face. I’m on Team Michael too. I only ever met Michael once at the clinic. He was maybe only about 2 at the time. But he was running up and down the halls, squealing with laughter. How could there be so much joy coming from this boy who was suffering so much? He ran up to me, his head almost completely bald from the chemo, and flashed the happiest smile I think I’ve ever seen. I hope he’s still running around, without the cancer in his body, bringing joy to whoever he happens upon.

I ride for those whom cancer has stolen from us. I ride for those who have already fought the battle. I ride for those whose fight is only just beginning. This is so much more than a bicycle ride to Alaska or a way to raise money for cancer research. It’s a way for me for me to stand in solidarity with those who have a burden they never asked for. The way I see it, both journeys are similar. They both have an end goal, but the journey there is not easy. It will be painful. There will be days where I will not want to go on any farther. But I will continue to ride. I will keep my goal in sight and persevere. I ride to inspire those who cannot think they cannot go on any father. I ride to inspire people to keep fighting.