Pedaling for a purpose: A cross-country journey for cancer awareness

The 77-day trip highlighted stories of American cancer survivors and raised $75,000 for research.

When Jaylen Patel , an actuarial analyst from Chicago, graduated from the University of Illinois he already had a job with Milliman.

But before he started with the company’s Life Technology Solutions practice, he had one more milestone to complete.

When he was a junior in college, Jaylen learned about an opportunity through a nonprofit University of Illinois campus organization called the Illini4000 to bike across the country and raise funds for cancer research.

The 77-day trip started in New York City and ended in San Francisco, spanning 4,714 miles.

“Two grandparents had passed away in the past two years, and I had also been simultaneously looking for ways to celebrate their memory, explore the country, and detox from the digital world,” Jaylen said.

Besides raising money, the cyclists collected stories along the way from cancer survivors and families. “The goal for us was to inspire hope and create a support network across the country,” he said.

When he heard about the trip, Jaylen’s first concern was whether he was in good enough physical shape.

“But just knowing the value I was going to gain from a physical and mental perspective and the opportunity to grow personally outweighed the fear. There were a lot of physical and mental changes while teaching your brain and body to go the distance each day, interact with the same 16 to 18 people 24/7, and be away from friends and family,” Jaylen said, adding, “I developed new levels of patience and determination and gained new lifelong friends.”

Preparing for a 77-day bicycle ride

Training began with aerobic and strength training exercises and progressed to three to five-day rides.

Six months before the trip, riders began planning the route, working on logistics and seeking donations.

They sought assistance with places to eat and sleep along the trip, including at churches, community centers, schools, and small businesses, so that they could maximize monetary donations to the fundraiser’s beneficiaries.

They selected four nonprofit organizations in New York City and the Champaign Urbana area as beneficiaries: The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation, the Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation, Cancer Center at Illinois, and Prairie Dragon Paddlers.

Each rider had to raise $4,000 to be eligible for the ride. Any donations incurred after that went back to the team as a whole and contributed to the total lump sum donated at the end of the ride.

The 16 cyclists raised about $65,000 before they left and collected another $10,000 on the ride.

A day in the life of a cross-country cyclist

An average day started with a 4:40 a.m. wake-up call followed by packing up, stretching, and breakfast.

We met for a morning circle to review the schedule,” Jaylen said. “We’d dedicate our ride to a cancer survivor and talk about things that had been difficult and positive.”

By about 6 a.m., the riders headed out in groups of four or five, which made it easier to communicate and point out road hazards. A support van stopped at pre-planned places for rest stops.

Riders took turns driving the van each day, and every 20 to 25 miles, they’d park along the route so everyone could take a break. They averaged about 75 miles a day.

At their destination, they’d meet their host and share their story. The group would offer to do a portrait of a cancer survivor.

“This was our way of documenting the American cancer experience and seeing if we could interview anyone in their church, community center, or school.”

Speaking with survivors and caregivers ultimately became the highlight of the trip for Jaylen. By the end of the trip, the team created 30 stories.

“This was never about a single accomplishment of riding across the country but the continuous refinement of becoming a better individual each day,” Jaylen said.

“I picked up journaling and yoga and mindfulness practices. I was invested in the moment, in the people, and that brought me a lot of joy.”

To learn more about the ride, view the route, read the journal, and view the portrait profiles.

More photos from the coast-to-coast ride to raise money for cancer.