Every person interested in becoming wise should find a mentor who is younger than they are.  I am lucky enough to have a few of these younger people in my life. One of these young friends is a cancer survivor.

Although I did not begin my campaign on behalf of my young mentor, he is now the number one reason I am driving this goal. After announcing my participation in this event, he reached out to me with more of his story.  Before he turned 18, he was diagnosed with a type of cancer that once held a 95% fatality rate. Thanks to grants, funding, and the work of university researchers, the fatality rate of this cancer has dropped to 5-10%. It's still too much, but results beget results, every success counts, and my young mentor was a beneficiary of this research. I am very glad he is among us today. The world is a much better, kinder, and smarter place with him in it. 

I originally joined this challenge as a thank you to David Gadd, a long-time champion of St. Baldrick's, a Knight Commander. David brought this event to Springfield and has worked diligently on its behalf for over a decade. David and his team have been incredibly helpful to my team over the past couple of years. My participation began as both a contribution to his labor of love and a rise to the challenge.