NEWBERRY — Our very basic nature as human beings is to care. At some point in our lives, we have committed selfless acts of kindness and generosity. Service can come in the form of dedicating our livelihood to non-profits or simply getting involved in local charities once a year.
The amazing aspect of service is that no act is too big nor small. Children still gather up canned food in support of displaced families, shelters, and the homeless. Some people are fortunate to be in the position to aid monetarily. Others get right in the thick of things to push their mind and bodies to assist in procuring more awareness of certain illnesses.
The latter is the case for recent Newberry College graduate Talya Stocksdale. She is fresh off of her cross-country ride for young adult cancer research. In association with the 4K for Cancer group, Stocksdale helped raise money and awareness for the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults.
“I have witnessed the struggles that close friends have endured (because of cancer). Cancer is a devastating disease that affects family and friends involved just as much as the person who is diagnosed,” Stocksdale said. “Knowing that there is no definitive cure can and will make recovery more strenuous. For these reasons and many others, I feel the need to honor those who have lost their battle or have been diagnosed with cancer, as well as those who have faced the disease and are still fighting.”
Alongside other college-aged students, Stocksdale completed the 70-day bike ride over 4,000 miles. Stocksdale and her team, Team Portland, cycled around 50-100 miles each day with 10 rest days in between the start and completion of the trip. They started June 4 in Baltimore, Md., and concluded on Aug. 12 in Portland, Ore.
The ride, while very rewarding and for a great cause, wasn’t an easy one. Stocksdale reflected on one instant that came to mind during Day 21 of the ride. She had experienced some close calls to date and before suffering collision with another rider.
“I got too close to a teammate and we bumped tires,” she said. “We were on somewhat of a gravel bike path, and I landed on my knee pretty hard. It was pretty cut up but I was able to finish the day.
“There were a few days where I wasn’t able to finish because it was bruised, and it was hard mentally for me to have to rack my bike and not ride with the rest of the team,” Stocksdale added. “I had a great support system though, and my close friends on the trip helped keep me in good spirits and they reminded me it wasn’t the end of the world that I couldn’t finish a few days. My health and safety was most important.”
She initially heard about the 4K from a family friend that completed the ride in 2013. Her brother followed suit in 2014 joining Team San Diego, which ultimately inspired her to sign up.
“I followed his journey through his blog and got to see how the trip changed his perspectives with all the fun things and people he got to meet,” Stocksdale said. “Last summer we had the opportunity to host Team Baltimore [a running team] when they were passing through western Maryland. Talking to them and hearing about the 4K firsthand again really made me actively think about signing up. I haven’t been directly affected by cancer, but I knew it was time to give back to my community.”
This year is the 16th year of the cross-country ride in support of the 70,000 young adults that are diagnosed with cancer each year. The Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults provide numerous avenues of free support for patients, caregivers, and families. These various services include, but are not limited to, scholarships and housing. Stocksdale’s goal was to raise $5,500 and as of Aug. 9 she had raised $5,025.
Among the highlights along Stocksdale’s route were the Appalachian Mountains, Black Hills National Forest, Mt. Rushmore, Bighorn, Grand Teton National Park, West Yellowstone, Bitterroot Mountains, Our Lady of the Rockies, Mt. Rainier National Park, and Cannon Beach.
“My favorite places were all of Wyoming and reaching the Pacific coast,” said Stocksdale. “Wyoming was absolutely beautiful, because we went through so many national parks and forests. As we reached the Pacific coast, it was really rewarding knowing that we had biked all the way there. It was also sad knowing we only had a few more days to go.”
Stocksdale was a starter for Newberry’s field hockey team all four years of her tenure. She was named to the Eastern College Athletic Conference’s Honor Roll in 2017. For several years Stocksdale donned the ECAC’s All-Academic Team and National Field Hockey Coaches Association All-Academic Squad.
Being a mathematics major, she aided other students by being a tutor all four years of college. Stocksdale chaired the role of President and Treasurer of Pi Mu Epsilon, a math honor society. In the true fashion of academic excellence, she made the Dean’s List and was appointed to the Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges in 2017.
“The main thing I learned is to not sweat the small things, to have fun because life is short, and that the world is good,” Stocksdale said. “There is a lot more good in people than what one realizes, and I was able to see and experience that firsthand which was really rewarding and eye opening.”
She is thankful for the opportunity and experiences from the ride, but doesn’t think she’ll ride again. She is positively certain, however, that she will remain involved with the Ulman Cancer Fund in some capacity.