Profile

About: Hi there, I’m Maggie! I grew up in a suburb just outside of Houston with my two awesome parents, Mary and Dave, and my two younger siblings, Patrick and Bridget.

Currently, I am a pre-med (surprise, surprise) Junior studying Honors Nutrition, pursuing a certificate in Spanish, and loving life in Austin and at The University of Texas! I am blessed to be both a leader in my sorority, Kappa Delta, and in Ignite Texas, a Christian organization on the UT campus. Even more so, I am beyond grateful to be surrounded by such an incredible community of friends.

Some more #fun facts about me: People around me love to claim I am addicted to caffeine (although my coffee intake falls well within the typical range). I thrive off of spontaneous adventures, game nights, and my favorite food: french fries. In my free time, you can find me mostly likely reading, napping, or growing in fellowship and spending time with my favorite people!

I am very excited to share in the mission of Texas 4000 and hope you will join me in spreading hope, knowledge, and charity to others!

Why I Ride

“Normal” is just about the last word anyone would adopt to describe cancer. But, growing up, I was convinced that this is exactly what it was. If only I knew then what I know now: cancer is scary but far from ordinary. And, not only this, but there are extraordinary people uniting in the fight against it.

In so many ways, directly and indirectly, cancer was a thief to my family. It stole both of my grandparents, on my father's side, away from us far too soon. After beating both skin and breast cancer throughout her lifetime, my grandma lost her battle, when I was 5 years old, to glioblastoma-an aggressive form of brain cancer. And then, when I turned 12, after having already relentlessly fought prostate, esophageal, and lung cancer, a tumor that presented on my grandpa's spine reared its ugly head, and he was placed on hospice care. During this time, my dad traveled from our home in Houston to Chicago in order to care for his own father. One of the things my dad was tasked with the responsibility of was lifting and moving my near-paralyzed grandpa (who, being well over 6'4, most certainly was not a little guy). In doing this, a fundamental rule understandably slipped from my dad's mind: lift with your knees, not your back. Unfortunately, just before my grandpa lost his battle, my dad injured his back severely. As a result, the dynamic of my family was abruptly and drastically changed forever.

In this season, I quickly lost any foundational hope or faith I might have once had. I didn’t understand why so many people were forced to suffer at the hand of this disease or the consequences of it. It simply wasn’t fair. Today, since my dad’s injury is still unresolved and cancer is an ever present threat, I lean on my restored faith that everything happens for a reason. As tough as it is to believe wholeheartedly sometimes, I remain steadfast to the truth it holds. I find myself clinging to this and letting it ignite a special kind of hope in myself that surpasses earthly standards. A hope in something far greater and more powerful than cancer. A hope in an eternity where cancer is merely a faint and distant memory, no longer able to wreak havoc on anyone ever again.

“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Romans 5: 3-5)

In every season of suffering, I rejoice, knowing that I find my hope in the one and only place it can’t be shaken: Jesus.

Now, quite frankly, myself hopping on a bike and riding to Alaska isn't going to cure cancer. It just won't. However, I believe the hope, knowledge, and charity spread by this cause will undoubtedly spark up something incredible in the hearts of those who come face-to-face with this thief. Whether a cure is found within the next year, decade, or many to come, there is something powerful in partaking in this fight together.

I joined Texas 4000 originally with my family as my inspiration, however, my list of who I ride for grows each day as I hear my friends’ and teammates’ stories. Every Texas 4000 meeting, training session, and ride day is dedicated to someone affected by cancer, so I would love nothing more than to honor you or someone you know throughout my journey in this organization. Everyone’s story is valuable, so please don’t hesitate at all to reach out to me at magskappel@gmail.com.


To Alaska and back,
Maggie