About Me

Profile

About:




I am currently a third year, first generation college student double majoring in marketing and health promotion and fitness at the University of Texas. I was born and raised in the small town of Comanche, Texas and am proud to say that you could only get to my house by traveling down a dirt road past miles of pasture and a dairy. I attribute my values and work ethic to my big family who taught me that I can do anything as long as I am willing to put the work in to achieve my goals. In high school I participated in track, cross country, band, and many student organizations that have helped me appreciate the value of hard work and goal setting. After graduating Valedictorian of my class, I made the jump to the big city of Austin and lived in a dorm that housed almost as many people as there were in my town! After getting over the initial culture shock, I quickly fell in love with this weird city, and all of the amazing things that it has to offer. When I’m not in the classroom, studying, or working at the Hills Health Club and Wellness Center, I enjoy running, reading, and going to movies and local concerts here in one of the coolest cities in the nation. After college, I would like to get a job in the health and wellness industry in hopes that I’ll be able to help people who want to enjoy healthier lifestyles.

Why I Ride

I can remember, as a child in church, listening to the congregation when the preacher would ask if there were any prayer requests. Many requests were routine and didn’t receive too much attention like the ones for more rain or those for minor aches and pains, but then a request would be made for a father that had been in the hospital for a while now; “The doctors think that it might be cancer,” the woman said. Another request would be made for someone recently diagnosed with leukemia, and another for a sister who would be starting chemotherapy shortly. Request after request would always be made as person after person spoke of a loved one affected by this deadly disease. I never could get over that feeling as the mood in the entire sanctuary would suddenly fall when cancer was mentioned. It was like a collective feeling of hurt, sadness, and defeat would overtake everyone present. It was a general understanding that cancer was bad, we didn’t really know much about it, and that there were no guarantees that it could be cured.

The truth is that we’re living in a world where one out of every four people develops cancer in their lifetime. As a result, many people share this defeated view regarding cancer, but I don’t think we should. With the proper attention that this issue deserves, we can greatly improve our stakes in the fight against this disease. Texas 4000 is not only a group that raises money for cancer research, but also raises the much needed awareness about cancer prevention. With more advances in cancer treatment, increased awareness, and participation, cancer can be changed from the impossible obstacle of past generations into something that can be beaten in the generations to come.