About Me

Profile

About: Hello everyone! My name is Madason Donaho and I am an Actuarial Science major at the wonderful University of Texas at Austin. Even though a majority of my time is spent solving mathematical equations, my main passions involve the outdoors. I love camping, hiking, being out on the lake, and enjoying God's amazing worldly creations. I also love animals and volunteer at Austin Pets Alive when my busy schedule allows me to. I come from an amazing home and my family is my rock. I love them more than anything else in the world. My parents are so incredible and have become my best friends over the last couple of years. I have 3 siblings, Allie 27, Brett 20, Lexi 10, who have all played such important roles in my life and have helped mold me into who I am today. My family is my support system and God knew what kind of people that I needed in my life and he provided them for me. I am so thrilled to be apart of Texas 4000 and be able to make a difference in the fight against cancer. I hope throughout my journey in this organization that I can be a beacon of hope, knowledge and charity for people across this country.

Why I Ride

The reasons that I ride are many. I don’t want children to lose their parents and I don’t want parents to lose their children to such a horrible disease. I initially wanted to join this organization because two of my grandparents passed away from pancreatic cancer. I was only 11 when my grandmother died on January 7th, 2007. It was a very traumatic event for me at an age where I was old enough to know what was going on, but was also young enough to be extremely confused and frustrated at ‘the world’. It was extremely hard to see her so immobile and unable to take care of herself during her last few months. When she finally passed it was both a relief because she wasn’t in pain any longer and horrible because I had lost my best friend. My grandmother was so special to me, and because I was the first grandchild she had a special place in her heart for me as well. I also spent the first portion of my life being taken care of by this woman while my mother and father were at work. I remember I loved to sing for her and play dress up in her fancy clothes and jewelry. We would even watch the Golden Girls together (it was her favorite show) and eat pickles and saltine crackers. After she passed away the only way I knew how to cope with losing her was to imagine my grandmother as my guardian angel. When I turned 18 I got my first tattoo of two small angel wings on my right shoulder to represent the presence of my grandma being my guardian angel at all times. When times get tough I still touch my shoulder and talk to her for guidance in my life.
My grandfather passed away February 8th, 2015 while I was in the midst of my second semester of college. He had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer a few months before I left home for my first year of college. He went down to Houston with my father to get treatment at MD Anderson multiple times. Once when he went to get a chemo treatment in Dallas I had come home for the weekend and decided to go with him. It was so hard to see him in such a weak and vulnerable state, but I was happy to be there to support him. However, after many rounds of rigorous chemo treatments they found that the cancer had spread to his stomach and the doctors gave my grandfather only about six months to live. This news was devastating to my entire family. My grandfather was the healthiest man I had ever known; for as long as I can remember his diet was paleo and he still ran 2-3 miles at least twice a week (in his 70's!) up until he started to get sick. We were all in shock at how such a strong man could succumb to such a tragic and painful end. Once my grandfather found out it was only a matter of time, he refused all treatment and decided to allow God to either heal him or take him home. Even at the ripe age of 74 everyone who knew him believed he was taken too soon. My grandfather was an unbelievable man who threw his entire soul into everything he did. He had the heart of a servant and was a friend to everyone. He was the most amazing man I have ever had the pleasure to know and am the luckiest grandchild in the world to be able to call him my grandpa.

I ride for both of them and keep them in my thoughts constantly. However, I also ride for close family friends, parent's of friends, even people I have no personal contact with who are or have battled cancer, and of course I ride for those who have passed because of this horrible disease. I also ride for the families of those suffering from cancer. Cancer doesn't just affect the person afflicted but all the people that love that person are affected as well. These reasons and many more are what drove me to be apart of Texas 4000, so that my thoughts and words could be turned into actions.

I want to personally thank you for supporting Texas 4000 for Cancer and my part in this incredible organization. No matter how big or small your contribution may be you are making a difference in the fight against cancer and it is appreciated more than you know!

Also, if you would like me to dedicate my ride to anyone please send me an encouragement note letting me know who you would like me to ride for. I would love to support you and the people that you love.