I'm honored to be able to participate in supporting the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults. My senior year of high school I was an active guy who played sports and also lifeguarded at Beaver Dam. During the excitement of summer that year, I had several medical issues arise that changed my college experience.

The long and short of it was after going to the ER and a gastroenterologist I was diagnosed with Barrett’s esophagus and Ulcerative Colitis. I had polyps in both instances and the Colitis polyps were villous adenomas. It's not often that boys in high school are diagnosed with these issues, but more often men ranging from 40-60. Of my 38 years of life, I've spent 20 of them having countless procedures, medications, and other treatments. 

I'm extremely fortunate that the polyps weren't cancerous when they were found and my symptoms have actually gotten better over time which isn't common. I'm committed to becoming better educated and helping to share that knowledge and the experience of cancer in young adults. I also want to make the lives of those (and their families) enduring cancer at a young age better in some way by supporting the great work of the Ulman Cancer Fund.

Please join me by familiarizing yourself with the website to be more knowledgeable, getting involved, and/or making a donation. While my goal is $3,000 I hope to raise as much as possible from family, friends, and my network.

I appreciate it and more importantly, the lives of those positively impacted by the work of UCF depend on it!

I AM PROUD TO BE AN ULMAN CANCER FUND GAMECHANGER!

UCF GameChangers are young professionals going above and beyond.  They’re successful at work, committed to bettering their communities, and are leaders among their peers.  Each fall, a committee reviews applications and nominations to select the most deserving young professionals and recognizes them for their efforts by declaring them GameChangers. GameChangers agree to support UCF’s mission by serving the young adult cancer community and raising funds to support vital free programs for young adults, and their loved ones, impacted by cancer.

About the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults

The Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults (UCF) is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that provides a community of crucial support to thousands of young adults with cancer through education, scholarship programs, a network of human and health care resources, and support services provided free of charge. Founded in 1997, UCF works at both the local and national level to ensure that all young adults impacted by cancer have a voice and the necessary resources to thrive. UCF changes lives by creating a community of support for young adults and their loved ones impacted by cancer.

CHALLENGE:

Over 70,000 young adults are diagnosed with cancer every year. Young adults (ages 15-39) face a variety of unique challenges with a cancer diagnosis including fertility preservation, social isolation, lack of insurance, delayed diagnosis, and more. 

SOLUTION:

The Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults changes lives by creating a community of support for young adults, and their loved ones, impacted by cancer. With your support, the Ulman Cancer Fund is able to provide free support services and resources for the young adult cancer community including:

Cancer to 5K - a 12-week training program designed to introduce or reintroduce cancer survivors to physical activity.

Patient Navigation - a free program (onsite at cancer centers and remotely through our office) that ensures no young adult ever faces cancer alone. We provide one-on-one support & resources to young adults and their families to help them manage the cancer experience and long-term cancer survival.

Scholarships - a financial assistance program to help young adults continue their education after being affected by cancer through their own diagnosis or the diagnosis of a loved one.

UCF House - This year UCF broke ground on a “home away from home” to provide free housing for young adult cancer patients, and their caregivers, in East Baltimore. 

Your donation will help make these programs and our mission possible!