I'm 22 years old, and I was born in Sherman, Texas. I'll graduate from UT Austin with my B.S. in Electrical Engineering in May 2005 and go to graduate school the following Fall. My last few summers have been spent interning at places such as Texas Instruments and Applied Research Labs. This summer will be very different.

When I was in middle school, one of my grandmothers died from cancer. While I was in high school, two of my teachers were dignosed with it, and my best friend's father died from it. I have an aunt that is still fighting. While filling out my application for Texas 4000, I was told that my remaining grandmother has cancer.

I met Chris Condit in the Fall of 2003, just as he was founding Texas 4000, and as his lab partner in various classes, I spent a lot of time with him throughout that year. Wherever we would go, people would ask him about Texas 4000 and tell him what a great thing he was doing. Inevitably they would turn to me and ask, Are you going on the ride? No,I would tell them. I'm too busy for that.

After a year of regret and excuses, I have joined Texas 4000. I, like many, many others, have had my life touched by cancer. It's time to do my part.