Seventy days. Four thousand miles. Texas to Alaska. My name is Noa Farou, I am a senior at the University of Texas at Austin, and next summer I will be embarking on the longest annual charity bike ride in the world to help fight cancer.
Texas4000 for Cancer
Texas4000 is a UT leadership program and 4000+ mile bike ride from Austin to Anchorage for which a small team of UT students train 18 months, raise $4,500 dollars, ride 2,000 training miles, and volunteer over 50 hours in the community to train for. Every aspect is student planned and executed from fundraising to each stop along the three routes: Sierra, Rockies, and Ozarks. During our travels we rely on the generosity of host homes, churches, and schools for shelter as well as camp when necessary. Riders also are responsible for driving the “SAG” support vehicle, creating rest stops, and securing food donations. After sharing life-saving cancer prevention information and messages of hope for those cancer has affected to communities we pass through, the three routes converge in Canada and ride the last days together into Anchorage.
A Little About Me
I am a senior Neuroscience major/English minor pre-medical student at UT Austin. I am a cellist of 11 years, Delta Gamma, cycling instructor, and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). My passion for biking was inspired by my father, an accomplished engineer and frequent Marathoner, Iron Man participant, and cyclist. As I grew up, he motivated and trained me for running and biking races and a variety of competitive sports. My parents are my biggest fans, supporting all my academic, musical, and athletic endeavors.
Why I Ride
My mother experienced her father, Carl, battle lung, skin, and bladder cancer for years, and undergo several major surgeries. In his final days he had very little quality of life—breathing through a stoma and still wanting another cigarette.
Cancer is more than a b