About Me

Profile

About: My name is Nick Sajatovic and I am a senior Supply Chain Management and Geography major here at The University of Texas. From Pennsylvania to North Carolina and several states in between, I finally found my way to the great state of Texas a few years ago. I must say I miss the mountains and hiking of North Carolina, but the great food scene in Austin helps make up for it. You can usually find me devouring anything mint-flavored, attending a Longhorn sporting event, or scouting out what National Park I am going to visit next.

Never before have I been faced with something as monumental as fighting cancer and biking across the continent. However, I am thrilled to be able to grow, bond, and learn with my team during this experience as we spread hope, knowledge, and charity all the way to Alaska.

Why I Ride

My family has had several bouts with cancer in the past. My mom, aunt, and grandfather each had skin cancer – all of them fortunately beating it in the end. I remember fondly growing up with my mom ensuring that my sister and I apply sunscreen, something I will always be grateful for looking back. Though I didn’t fully understand it at the time, taking what seems to be common sense precautions such as this prove pivotal later on in life.

I also ride for my great uncle who was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009. He was a very healthy individual and my entire family was shocked to receive the news of his diagnosis. This is when I first recognized that cancer can affect anyone, regardless of their health status. He unfortunately passed about 6 months later. However, he never did get a colonoscopy, and if he had, his cancer would have likely been caught. Further, this has led me to resonate most with the pillar of knowledge, as cancer prevention knowledge and screenings can be life saving.

I look forward to sharing my experiences and interacting with the numerous communities my team and I will ride through. I believe that hope is the greatest asset we can have in this battle against cancer. Hope enables individuals to become strong, and this strength motivates them to keep fighting.