About Me

Profile

About: I'm a lifelong Austinite and I grew up in the Lake Travis area. My parents and grandparents are UT alumni, so UT may have always been in the cards for me. I have two younger brothers, an Aggie and a high-schooler. I love science and the great outdoors. I plan to pursue a career that improves population health--this may be through policy or medicine (I'm still deciding).

Why I Ride

I ride for many people, but my grandfather David is one of my biggest inspirations for doing this ride. He was a force of nature; one of the wildest, most hardworking, most loving souls that I have ever known. Unfortunately, the person he had been was not the grandfather I knew. The one I knew was diagnosed with cancer and had finally met his match. The man I knew was a tired, thin man in constant pain due to his battle with this disease.

I thoroughly believe that NO ONE should have to endure their life. Life is meant to be lived, not to be suffered through. Cancer took this right from my grandfather and has taken it from too many others. I ride for David and for everyone else who has had to endure this horrible disease. My grandfather was not fortunate enough to win his battle, but with research and relentlessness, I believe a cure will be found.

In Texas 4000, we fundraise not only to help fund cancer research, we also support cancer education and prevention. Cancer has a huge genetic component, but so much of it is due to lifestyle and environmental factors. I am lucky to be a member of the program team, which will deliver education programs to the communities we visit during the summer.

Thanks for the read if you've made it this far! If there is anyone you would like us to ride in honor of, let me know!

-Louisa