About Me

Profile

About: My name is Aaron Leondar and I am an Economics major and Business minor. I am a senior but I spent my first year of college at UT Arlington. Since being in Austin I am a three year member of the Longhorn Band playing cymbals. Being in the LHB is my favorite part of the University. Having a part is such a visible and reputable organisation is quite thrilling and rewarding. My dad was a member many years ago during his stay at UT and it humbles me to follow in his footsteps. I earn the rank of Eagle Scout at the age of 17. Throughout my life I have always enjoyed the excitement of the outdoors and nature. Skiing, wakeboarding, traveling photography are among my favorite hobbies that allow me enjoy bounties of the outdoors and adventure. Born and raised in Texas I am in love with our state. Every aspect of it, the culture, food, land and size, I find exhilarating like no place I’ve visited. After I graduate I plan to pursue a career that will enable me to get my MBA and become an integral asset to my company as an upper- level decision maker.

Visit my Texas 4000 page on my website!

Why I Ride

I ride for my father. Among various other illnesses including diabetes, West Nile Virus, and a kidney transplant, he was recently diagnosed with Basal Cell Carcinoma. After all he has been through, it was hard to believe that it was cancer attacking his body now. Luckily because he is constantly under medical supervision the doctors caught it early and were able to successfully remove it. I ride for my father beyond his short-lived stint with cancer. I ride for him and all others that endure lasting medical conditions, whether it be cancer, diabetes, or any other illness. The internal strength that my father and others like him display is incredible. He fights and shows no signs of slowing down because he has passion to live and do what he loves. I admire this quality very much and I try to share it with others as much as possible, in hopes to inspire them to find their own passions.

I ride for not only for present cancer patients, but for those who have yet to have cancer. It can be our closest friends and family, our children and ever ourselves. My mission now is to be as proactive as possible to prevent the future generations of the world from having to deal with the weight of cancer. Proper health and screening before it strike and affordable, effective treatment afterward and eventually and end to the disease altogether is why I am part of Texas 4000.

I ride for David Nesbit and Cheryl Snyder. David is my cousin who was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in 2008. Has recently finished chemotherapy and has successfully eliminated the cancer, however there is always the risk it could return. When he was diagnosed began running marathons to keep his mind and body health above the strain of the cancer. It has worked and he continues to run for a cure for cancer.

Cheryl was the mother of a friend of mine who passed away a young, loving mother. She had know about a lump on her breast for years but was scared of what the doctor might tell her, as well as the medical bill. By the time she finally went in to be screened, the breast cancer had progressed to stage IV. She only survived 6 months after being diagnosed. Her life could have been saved if she knew how and where to get affordable care and knowledge when the cancer was less harmful.