Texas 4000 Cyclists Roll up to UAMS Cancer Institute

By Liz Caldwell


Texas 4000 bicyclists stop at the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute during their ride from Austin, Texas to Anchorage, Alaska.

June 13, 2014 | Amid a cheering crowd, 27 bicyclists arrived June 11 at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) to spread their message of hope for cancer patients.

The cyclists, who are all students from the University of Texas, are participating in Texas 4000, the world’s longest annual charity bike ride. A total of 78 cyclists take part in the program, riding for 70 days from Austin, Texas, to Anchorage, Alaska.

The cyclists are divided into three routes, taking them either through the western states, the Rocky Mountains, or the Ozarks and Midwest. Along the way, the groups stop at cancer treatment facilities to meet patients and share their stories.

“The ride may seem impossible, but we take it little by little. That’s what makes a seemingly insurmountable thing possible,” said cyclist Vanessa Beltran of Spring, Texas. “If someone has cancer, they can’t participate in things like this. We ride for them to share their stories and offer hope to others.”

After committing to the program, the students spend about 16 months training, volunteering in the community and planning every aspect of the more than 4,000-mile ride. Each participant also must raise a minimum of $4,500, which is given as grants to cancer organizations across the country.

While at UAMS, the riders toured the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, learned about ongoing research projects and visited with patients in the UAMS Myeloma Institute for Research and Therapy.

The group will arrive in Anchorage on Aug. 2, having ridden about 5,200 miles.