FARMINGTON — Glenn Lumbert likes to challenge himself.

This summer he’ll undertake a 4,000 mile-plus bike trek from Baltimore, Md., to San Diego, Calif. The ride with other college-aged teammates from across the country will ultimately help young cancer victims.

Lumbert is on one of five 4K for Cancer teams sponsored by the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults. The funds raised are to help victims, ages 18 to 39, with transportation as they undergo treatment, he said. The Ulman Cancer Fund started in 1997.

When Doug Ulman developed cancer while a student at Brown University, he was “frustrated by the lack of resources and literature to speak to the unique needs of young adults affected by cancer,” according to the fund’s website. “Ulman and his family created The Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults to fill this gap.”

Lumbert, 20, of Solon is a junior at the University of Maine at Farmington where he is majoring in psychology.

His roommate, Holden Cookson, took the trek a few years ago and introduced him to the possibility, he said. This summer it is his turn.

Lumbert will leave for Maryland on June 3 to join Team San Diego. Different teams, some running, some biking, set out for different locations on the West Coast, he said.

There is the personal satisfaction of accomplishing 4,000-plus miles on a bike but Lumbert also has a mission to make it more than just about himself. He understands the struggles families encounter as loved ones are challenged by the disease.  

“I have had two grandparents pass away from cancer, my grandmother had leukemia … my grandfather fought cancer four times throughout his whole life and is one of my huge inspirations for doing this trip. He passed away in March of 2015,” Lumbert wrote on his 4K for Cancer page.

He recently learned an aunt has been diagnosed and given four to eight months to live, he said.

“It only made me more passionate about (the 4K for Cancer),” he said.

He hopes the trip will inspire him to do even more for the entire cancer community.

“It is not just about me,” he said. “It is about the cancer community in general.”

He likes to hear personal stories from other cancer survivors and victims. Some donors have made requests and he plans to dedicate parts of the ride to their loved ones. The ride up the first mountain in California is dedicated to a friend’s grandmother, he said.

The team expects to cycle about 60 to 80 miles a day. From Baltimore they will travel through some Southern and Midwest states and tackle the Rocky Mountains, he said.

They will stay in churches, public buildings or private homes along the way. Two vans will accompany the 24 cyclists to carry their gear. Volunteers with the vans will help set up lodging and meals. 

Training starts now, he said. He expects to work at the UMF Fitness Center this semester and hopes to lead a spin cycle class. Work on a stationary bike can count for his training, he said.  

Along with training, Lumbert needs to raise at least $4,500 for the Ulman Cancer Fund. His goal is $6,000. Fundraising is set up by deadlines. The first for raising $1,000 is Jan. 15, he said. He has nearly $700 toward it.

Lumbert is starting to visit local businesses seeking donations. Anyone interested in helping him can contact him by email at Glenn.Lumbert@maine.edu or by going to the fundraising page/blog at: http://4kfor cancer.org/profiles/glenn-lumbert/

A graduate of Carrabec High School and a UMF student, Lumbert also hopes the trek will give him a broader view of the country.

“I have not been far out of New England,” he said.

abryant@sunmediagroup.net

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