Alabama woman to run across the U.S. this summer to raise money for cancer patients

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March 20, 2015

ORANGE BEACH, Ala. — Watch out Forrest Gump! Margarett Frisby, a 2012 alumna of the University of Alabama and resident of Orange Beach is spending her summer running across the country, raising money for cancer patients.

“This coming summer, I will be helping to lead a team of 29 young adults, ages 18-25, in a RUN across the country from San Francisco to Baltimore,” Frisby told Yellowhammer.

The team will be running for 4K for Cancer, benefitting the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults.

Each teammate will be running 10-16 miles a day, running a relay to cover a total of 80-100 miles daily.

In addition to running, Frisby is raising $5,000 in memory of her high school French teacher and a friend’s mother, both of whom lost their battles to cancer in 2009 and 2010, respectively.

Of the money raised, 89 cents for every dollar goes directly to the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults to provide education, programs and further fundraising for those battling cancer, and their families. The other 11 cents for each dollar goes to help cover overhead costs and get the team across the country.

Here are the types of things a donation to the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults could help fund:
$25 will pay for transporting a patient to a doctor’s appointment
$50 will pay to keep a patient’s lights and power on during treatment
$200 will pay to help preserve a young adult’s fertility prior to starting treatment
$1,000 will pay for gas cards to help 40 patients get to treatment
$1,500 will pay to distribute guidebooks to 428 newly diagnosed cancer patients
$2,500 will pay for a scholarship to send a young adult facing cancer to college

“It has been an extremely powerful experience thus far to see 29 young adults (who have never met) come together for such an awesome cause, and encourage each other daily. In only a few months, we have already raised over $85,000 specifically for the Ulman Fund, and will ultimately raise over $120,000!”

Frisby is a leg leader, meaning she is also helping to secure hosts along the way. The team will stay in churches, gyms, schools and anywhere else that will host them for the evening. They will rely on donations of food from the community members where they stay, which Frisby says is a great way to meet the people who make this run possible.

“We wouldn’t be able to do this run without our hosts,” she said.

To support Margarett Frisby and the group running across the country this summer by making a tax-deductible donation, visit 4kforcancer.org.