Cathleen Allison/Nevada Appeal Matthew Pierson, left, and Christian McEvoy run down Spooner Summit on Tuesday morning as part of a 3,500-mile run to raise money for cancer survivors. The Coast to Coast: A Run for Survivorship is a six-month, cross-country journey.
As Christian McEvoy, 23, runs a 3,500-mile trek across the United States, he hopes to help the 10 million cancer survivors by raising funds for three programs.
"We've gotten to the point in medicine that cancer survivors need help with the issues they are incurring, such as risk from second cancers or decreased immune systems," he said. "They need special help. It's not like you or I going to the doctor for the flu. When they get the flu, it can be a much more serious disease."
McEvoy, who will leave around 7 a.m. today, should be seen running north from the intersection of Highways 50 and 395 near the bottom of Spooner Summit through downtown Carson City and onto Highway 50 East as he begins the next leg of his trek toward Fallon.
"Sometimes I laugh at myself," he said. "There's a little bit of crazy involved and a little bit of dreams, but that's OK. The more you dream, the bigger the possibilities become."
McEvoy, who took a leave of absence as an English teacher from Fairfield Preparatory College in Connecticut, wants to raise $1 million for the Yale Cancer Center, the primary beneficiary of his run; the University of California, San Francisco Cancer Resource Center; and the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults National College Scholarship Program. To donate, go to coasttocoastrun.org on the Internet. About $107,000 has been raised so far.
"When you meet the survivors, you hear great stories and stories that inspire you, stories about real hardship, and that's very tough," he said. "It makes my job easier in one sense."
Tuesday morning, McEvoy, of Connecticut, completed his trek out of the Sierra Nevada, coming to rest about 10 a.m.
"It was downhill," he said "It's the most downhill I've run in one stretch. I'll tell you, we got some great scenery."
Gatorade was his first choice as he and Matthew Pierson, operations coordinator, who ran Tuesday's leg with him, filled up on it from a cooler in the back of a support car.
Motivating McEvoy to do the trip and raise money are some family members of friends and his own grandparents, all of whom survived cancer.
"This isn't about a personal crusade for any family member," he said. "This is an event dedicated to supporting cancer survivors across the country and the larger movement of cancer survivorship."
A triathlete, McEvoy previously completed a marathon and a bike event called Connecticut Challenge. Daily, he pushes the limits, but the true surprises come not through his running, but the lives of others.
"Every day I meet a new survivor and that's a good reason to be out here," he said. "It's an evolving story."
• Contact reporter Maggie O'Neill at moneill@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1219.
For your information
What: "A Run for Survivorship," a 3,500-mile, six-month trek across the United States by 23-year-old Connecticut high school teacher Christian McEvoy. A documentary called "Gone Running" is being filmed along the way
Why: To raise money for the Yale Cancer Center; the University of California, San Francisco Cancer Resource Center; and the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults National College Scholarship Program
Goal: $1 million; current status: $107,000
To help: Go to www.coasttocoastrun.org