My name is Basia Borodziewicz and I was born in Poland in 1988. My family moved from a crowded apartment shared with grandparents, aunts and uncles to a slightly less tiny apartment in Plano, TX.

Though my first words as a two year old in Texas were, “Now that we’re with dad again, let’s go back to Poland,” I ended up growing up in Plano, TX.

After a traumatic English learning experience that consisted of me not speaking at all for a year in pre-school, I fearfully entered the first grade. However after a few months, I was proudly calling my self 100% Texan, loved the United States, and generally spent a free and fun childhood in my neighbourhood.

When I entered the 4th grade, my mom started sending me back to Poland every summer. Though at first it was hard spending summers away from my friends, I would never take back that experienced. I feel like I grew up just as much in Poland as I did in Texas. I had the opportunity to see the transition of Poland since the fall of its communist government and feel a strong connection to Poland’s tough history.

After developing my identity as a Polish-Texan (no longer 100% anything), I entered the University of Texas. I am still amazed at all the opportunities offered at UT; I love Austin, and am creating a plan for my life.

I am learning about Africa, French, Arabic, and would love to one day work with human rights. After I graduate I plan to apply for law school to study international law.

To conclude, I love my family and friends and am excited at what life has to offer!

The first time I heard about cancer, I really didn’t understand anything about it. It was right after I entered elementary school. My dad said he had to travel to Poland to take care of his dad. We soon found out that my grandfather died from cancer. At the time I thought that cancer was something that just affected older people. To me, if someone died from cancer it was equivalent to them dying of “old age”.

Soon I found out though that cancer can affect anyone and everyone. No matter how old you are, how happy, or wonderful it can still take your life. I now understand that cancer is something that can devastate and ruin peoples’ lives. I also finally understand that my grandfather’s death was anything but natural.

I believe that by biking to Alaska I will contribute vital funds to research that may finally one day find a cure and spare cancer patients the fight for their life and the pain that cancer causes them, their families, and friends. Further, I feel that by biking I will show solidarity to those people who have physically and mentally struggled to overcome the devastating effects of cancer, though in no way will our ride match the challenges they face.