Post on 16-Jul-2015
Walking for aCureGroup of
f itness
agai nst
Sha ker grads
ta rgets
Last year, Rob Emrich, 24, lost a cousin
to a malignant brain tumor. This u.-as a
double blou'for Rob, w'ho had also losthis sister, Karen, to cancer. More au.are
than most of the way this disease ravages
the lives of both voung and old - and
their families - Rob decided to take
action. Together \4.ith his friends fromShaker Heights High School, he has
founded the Road of Lif'e organization,a charity that plans to take to the road
- on foot - in its mission to raise
funds fbr cancer research and educationand highlight the importance of fitness.
This month, in svnc with Ohio'sBicentennial, Rob w-ill r,valk the 3 12
miles from dou'ntou.n Cincinnati toCler.eland using a combination of bicy-cle paths and quieter roads. The walk,the first step in a program that mav betaken to a national and even interna-tional level, is one of many ir-ritiatives the
group's founders want to accomplish.
As rvell as demonstrating the role fitness
plays in health, the group is participat-
Road of Life Founders (Top row) Mike Emrich, Schylur Schmidt, Matthew Fuerst(Bottom) Josh Berezin, Matt Youngner, Rob Emrich (with Nedward, an APL adopteeand Road of Life mascot). pnoto by Fettty Hitt
in f ight
ca ncer
ing in school and college health fairs
throughout the state featuring multi-media presentations on cancer facts
and research. Rob will appear at each
of the health fairs and rvill make
appearances at other events, such as
r itr lestir.rls, along his route.Next vear, Rob hopes to take on a
longer rvalk - the Pan-ArnericanHighrval; w-hich stretches from Naska toArgentina - follor,r,ing in the lbotsteps ofBriton George Meegan, ll'ho completedthe route in the 1970s. The group is
ivorking rvith Ohio State University's
Center for Latin American Studies
developing a r'r'eb curriculum that willhelp get its anti-cancer message to a
r'r.ider audience.
Right nor,v though, the I'riends' goal is
to raise funds for the first 312 mile rnalk;
thev aim to raise $ 100 per mile byOctober 1. For more information on
Road of Life, or to dedicate a mile of the
u.alk in honor or memoriam of a cancer
suflferer, please r''isit ww'w. roadoJ$e. org,
email office@roadoflife.org or telephone:(6t4) 221-123s.
- Felicir,Hill