Amidst watching and editing a few Portraits from past rides this Sunday night, words spoken by those deeply affected by cancer that we were able to capture on video really spoke to me. There's so much more than meets the eye when dealing with cancer not only firsthand, but caring for someone going through such a physically and mentally exhausting experience. We're a team of capable, young, and kinetic students tapping into the difficulties of people affected by cancer. In the loneliness that inevitably comes along with cancer, the Illini 4000 these past seven summers has been able to do something noteworthy for those individuals and shown them that their not alone. There are so many others like ourselves that have taken a stand against cancer in their own unique way. Being part of the eighth Illini 4000 team will without a doubt be rewarding in a multitude of ways, and I can't wait to come out of this summer knowing that I was part of such an ambitious and powerful organization. Thanks for reading my first blog (of many)!