Twenty-year-old Jack Owens made a pit stop Wednesday at Valley Forge National Park in Pennsylvania.
The Philadelphia cyclist is riding coast to coast to help lung cancer patients.
“It’s been a long journey,” Owens said.
He started the 48-day trip May 20 in San Francisco and will end in Ocean City. He’s aiming to raise $100,000 for lung cancer patients.
“It’s something that affects everybody,” he said. “It’s the leading cancer killer among every demographic in every state.”
Owens’ grandmother died from lung cancer, which inspired her son, John Matthews, to start a charity called Ride Hard Breathe Easy. Matthews is Owens’ uncle.
“When Mom was sick, I just said I would do something,” Matthews said. “I had no idea I was going to ride my bike across the country.”
Matthews, who’s doing part of the ride with Owens, completed his cross-country trek in 2017.
“It’s amazing,” Matthews said. “It’s really inspiring.”
The money that Owens raises on this ride will help lung cancer patients with getting to doctor’s appointments and paying for food and utility bills.
“They just need someone to give them a hand and we’re fortunate to do it,” Matthews said.
Owens, who went to St. Joe’s Prep, is now a junior at Notre Dame, and he’s dedicating part of his summer break to the family mission of helping patients.
On their way to the shore where the 3,600 mile journey will end on July 6, they’ll stop at some hospitals that treat the patients they help, like Fox Chase Cancer Center.
