Turning Miles Into Impact: Wendy’s Fundraising Journey
At 1:40 a.m. on June 10, 2026, while most of California was still asleep, Wendy Carter started walking.
She knew the miles ahead would be difficult. She knew her feet would hurt. She knew there would be moments when exhaustion would make it tempting to stop. But Wendy's "why" was stronger.
She was walking for every person who has faced cancer, including her husband, Michael, a two-time cancer survivor whose journey transformed Wendy's understanding of the disease and strengthened her determination to help change its future.
Choosing A Challenge
Wendy’s endurance events have always been about more than the finish line.
For years, she has challenged herself through long-distance cycling events, combining her love of being active with a desire to give back. Across several decades, she’s participated in countless events to fundraise for causes that were meaningful to her. But three years ago, cancer became personal in a new way when her husband, Michael, was diagnosed.
“I had been around cancer my whole life,” Wendy said, recalling family members who had faced the disease. But her husband’s diagnosis of tonsil cancer caught them both by surprise.
“It’s interesting when people say they’re on a cancer journey,” she said. “And I realized that’s absolutely true, because once you’re diagnosed or have a loved one that’s been diagnosed with cancer, it goes on forever.”
As Wendy and Michael navigated his diagnosis and treatment, she knew she wanted to find a way to help advance cancer research. The V Foundation for Cancer Research quickly emerged as the natural choice.
A lifelong sports fan and devoted ESPN viewer, Wendy remembered the words of both Jim Valvano and Stuart Scott, whose stories and speeches at the 1993 and 2014 ESPYS, respectively, had stayed with her over the years. One message from Valvano in particular resonated deeply: “There are 86,400 seconds in a day, and it’s up to you to decide what to do with them.”
“I decided I could combine my love of cycling and helping people to create my own charity event,” Wendy said.
Creating a DIY Fundraiser
Through the V Foundation’s DIY fundraising program, she did exactly that.
When several events were canceled during the COVID-19 pandemic, Wendy refused to let the disruption stop her. Instead, she completed her own rides those years and continued that momentum when she added the V Foundation as one of her charity fundraisers.
In 2024, she rode 150 miles in one day for the V Foundation, followed a few days later by 125 miles for another nonprofit.
The next year, she rode 125 miles for the V Foundation.
In 2026, she decided it was time for a change. Living in Southern California, she had become increasingly aware of the dangers cyclists face on the road. Walking, she decided, would be a safer way to continue challenging herself and raising money for cancer research.
She set her sights on walking 30 miles in a single day.
After years of cycling, walking became her new way to build endurance, and she gradually increased her mileage in preparation.
“Whoever said that walking 25 miles was like riding 100 is crazy. I found walking so much more difficult.”
On the day of her V Foundation fundraiser, just a few weeks before her 71st birthday, she completed her 30-mile endeavor in 11 hours and 11 minutes, logging more than 73,000 steps along the way. Her husband and their dog, Bentley, met her several times throughout the route with snacks, electrolytes and much-needed encouragement. Strangers who saw Wendy training in the early morning hours stopped to thank her. Many asked how they could donate.
And on the back of Wendy’s jersey were the names of the people who gave her a reason to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
“I walk now for people that can’t,” she said. “I walk for those that have fought cancer and won. And I walk in memory of those who lost their lives from cancer.”
And when her feet began to hurt or fatigue set in, Wendy thought about everything her husband had endured.
“If I started feeling pain or tired, I would always say to myself: ‘You don’t have cancer. You’re not doing radiation. You’re not doing chemotherapy. Keep going, keep walking.’”
Michael has now faced cancer twice, first with tonsil cancer and later with prostate cancer, and he is currently in remission from both. For Wendy, his experience has reinforced just how important continued investment in research is and how much progress can happen over time.
That belief is at the heart of Wendy’s commitment to the V Foundation. She was drawn to the organization because of its connection to ESPN, its mission and its 100% model, which ensures that every dollar donated goes directly to cancer research. To date, Wendy has raised nearly $10,000 for the V Foundation.
“The V Foundation was so easy for me to choose because not only is it an amazing organization, all the money that’s raised goes right to research,” she said. “That was really important to me.”
Her message to anyone considering creating their own fundraiser is simple: Go for it.
“Do not hesitate. Reach out to the V Foundation,” Wendy said. “This team makes it so easy to create a DIY fundraiser.”