Alumni Spotlight: Han Le

Photo Credit: Han Le
Fri, 07/10/2020 - 10:52

Major: Sociology
Hometown: Virginia, USA, and Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
Graduated: May 2020

Han had been preparing for the 4K for Cancer for months.

4K for Cancer is a program where volunteers run or bike across the United States to raise funds for the Ulman Foundation, which provides support services like scholarships and housing to young adults battling cancer.

Han lost her grandmother to cancer as a child, and recently her mother was also diagnosed with the disease. Her personal connections to cancer made her especially motivated to partake in the event.

But with coronavirus concerns in mind, her running plans took a new path. Originally she was going to run with her 4K for Cancer team from Baltimore to San Francisco. However, due to the effects of COVID-19, the cross-country trip was canceled.

That won't stop Han — she's participating in the full 49-day run from home. She has her road ID, her safety devices, and a daily schedule of miles to run to keep her on track, and each day she'll check in with her team via Zoom to dedicate their run to a cancer patient or survivor. All that's left to do is run.

Though coronavirus might have stopped Han's cross-country trek, it hasn't stopped her mission to help those battling cancer.

"I don't think that anything can replace the real thing, but at the end of the day, cancer is larger than all of us individually, and there are brave warriors out there fighting this disease," Han said. "We continue to remind ourselves of our mission — that we run for them and for each other."

#ImAHusker