This September, Lexington resident and cancer researcher Avinash Venkatanarayan will be cycling in Coast 2 Coast 4 Cancer (C2C4C) a cross-country ride to raise money in support of the V Foundation for Cancer Research. Avinash is riding in honor of his grandmother, who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer and is currently under treatment.
“People of Southeast Asian descent typically do not open up about their health and in India, the term ‘cancer survivor’ is rarely used,” says Avinash. “This social stigma affected my grandmother who would have benefited from early screening and early diagnosis. In addition to riding to honor my grandmother, I’m riding to change the perception of this disease globally.”
Avinash will join more than 126 fellow Bristol Myers Squibb employees who will set out to ride up to 80 miles per day for three days, contributing to nearly 3,000 miles from Cannon Beach, OR to Long Branch, NJ. He will ride in the seventh leg from St. Louis, MO to Indianapolis, IN from Sept. 25-27.
For more information and to donate to the Coast 2 Coast 4 Cancer ride, visit the website here.