I am thrilled each and every time I think about the opportunities which The Illini 4000 will create. I sincerely hope our mission will profoundly impact people we meet and even people we don't.

I am James Ballard. I am a graduate from the University of Illinois in Molecular and Cellular Biology and plan to go on to receive my Masters from Loyola University in Chicago and then attend Medical School.

Its my time to do something big to show anyone affected by cancer that they aren't alone in the fight.

Compared to my long and seasoned career in athletics including ten years of hockey, six years of baseball, and four years of cross country, my foray into cycling is a fairly recent development. The Illini 4000 is the perfect opportunity for me to expand my interest in cycling, which I've been pursuing the past two years.

"Through self experience, one can learn from their surroundings"

I wanted to do something special to bridge the gap between college and the rest of life. I had two goals in mind: to do something meaningful and to have an outdoor adventure. This trip is perfect for me since I'll be doing what I love and making a difference at the same time.

Hi! I'm Brandt Dusthimer and a I am a Senior in Computer Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I am originally from the Quad-Cities, specifically Davenport, Iowa. I love music and traveling.

I just graduated from the University of Illinois with a BS in Advertising and minors in Sociology and Gender & Women's Studies. I can't wait to continue my studies in advertising, branding, and consumer culture theory as a PhD student in Marketing at the University of Arizona this fall.

I came from South Korea as a foreign exchange student here. I love to do physical activities such as soccer, basketball, cycling and so on. Since I am very positive and challenge-seeking type, I do not have any fears to face obstacles in new circumstances.

Since the beginning of my commitment to the Illini 4000, I have gotten so many different reactions. Some of my friends have asked me what riding my bike across the country has to do with raising money for cancer research.

Compassion, adventure, and friendship are three themes that I hope will coalesce in our group and sustain us during our passage westward this summer, and when that happens, it will be nothing short of thrilling.

The Illini 4000 combines two of my passions - cycling and community development. I look forward to not only biking across the American landscape but meeting people along the way and hearing their stories and the impact that cancer has had on their lives.

If I could, I would ride my big wheel across America.

Hi, my name is Sandra and I'm from Oneonta, NY. I'm a dreamer who loves the outdoors, summer, photography/design, and sports.

The Illini 4000 brings together the three things that I am most passionate about: teaching, cycling, and helping others. I firmly believe that education is our greatest hope in the fight against cancer.

Hello, my name is Daniel Spegman. I am very excited to be in a group of dynamic riders who are very passionate about our cause. I enjoy the outdoors and meeting new people.

As an undergraduate research scientist in a cancer relevant field, I've experienced first hand the need for increases in research funding; potentially life saving research projects live and die in the laboratory on the ability to secure research funding.

This is an event that everyone can and should help out with in order to produce many generations of future Illini cross-country bikers and, most importantly, cancer survivors.