According to The Daily UW, “Over 1.6 million people will be diagnosed with cancer this year, according to the National Cancer Institute. About 70,000 young adults ages 15 to 39 will make up 5 percent of those diagnosed and many of these young adults lack the financial resources to receive treatment.”
Among those young adults in 2006 was Kyle Charvat, a member of the Theta Chi chapter at University of Washington. Kyle was approved for a clinical trial that would have extended his life, but his medical insurance would not cover the cost. After Kyle passed away, his Theta Chi brothers decided to do something for others in Kyle’s situation. They founded the Kyle Charvat Foundation “to assist and bring awareness to college-aged cancer patients. The nonprofit organization pays for expenses, including groceries, medications, physical therapy, and transporting the patients to and from their treatments.” And now this summer, three of the chapter’s brothers are taking their efforts to the next level.
The three brothers are biking across the country to raise funds and awareness for their case. Each of the bikers has their own special reasons for participating. The chapter’s president, Josh Bean, is riding in memory of his father, who passed away in February 2016 from cancer. Sophomore Nigal Hall is riding in honor of his grandmother, who he lost to a brain tumor. And Matt Gaylor wants to see the foundation’s legacy live on in Charvat’s honor.
“To watch someone so vibrant and so energized just slowly becoming a shell of a person from the brain cancer, I can’t imagine how a family would deal with having their kid go through that,” Gaylor said. “Any help we can give to just alleviate the financial stresses they have so they can really focus on healing and really focus on coming together as a family [is the goal].”
Bean added, “I can’t even imagine being a college-age student not having that ability to go and buy your basic groceries or be able to drive yourself because you’re too exhausted from the chemotherapy. We see this ride as a living embodiment of how our chapter has fulfilled lending a helping hand.”
The trio hopes to raise at least $20,000 during their ride, which because on June 20 and will take 40 days and end in Boston..
You can follow the guys on their journey on Twitter and learn more about the foundation at their website.
[via The Daily UW]
Image via Cycle4Charvat
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Jenna Crowley
Jenna used to be known as 2NOTBrokeGirls, but then one of the girls actually went broke, so she's struck out on her own. Jenna spends her free time saving the world, one sorority girl at a time (usually while wearing yoga pants), questioning why she decided to get a doctorate, and documenting her love of all things cheese related. You can ask her anything you want about football, using your boobs to get what you want, and pizza at @JennaLCrowley on Twitter or via email at JennaLCrowley@gmail.com.
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