|
By Vickie Speek
BYU Grads to Bike 2,600 Miles for EB
PROVO, UTAH -- Four BYU graduates are planning a 2,600-mile bike trek
in hopes of helping to find a cure for Epidermolysis Bullosa, a
debilitating and painful disease of the skin.
Jake Merback, 26, Dan Hoopes, 24, Andrew Berthrong, 24, and Rocky
Garff, 23, hope their efforts will raise public awareness of the
disease as well as raise funds for the Epidermolysis Bullosa Medical
Research Foundation. Children who are afflicted by Epidermolysis
Bullosa rarely live past their 20s.
Choosing EBMRF wasn't a hard decision for the group - the founders of
the research foundation are a former stake president, Gary Anderson,
and his wife Lynn.
"We knew their children had died of EB," Hoopes said. "Also, my
grandfather was on the board of directors for EB."
The four returned missionaries will start their trek in Provo on June
18, and head for Vancouver, Canada. They will then travel down the
coast of the United States to Tijuana, Mexico. During their trip they
plan to stay with families who have children with EB.
So far, the men have raised more than $11,500 from donations and hope
to raise $50,000. Corporate sponsors such as Nu Skin, Specialized and
Aardvark Cycles have provided personal items for the trip as well as
bike equipment and clothing.
For additional details on the trek and information on how to donate
to the EB foundation, go to http://www.ebtrek.org .
Source:
Men plan 2,600-mile bike trip for charity
Provo UT Daily Herald 10Jun01 pgA9 P2
By Jennifer Minnich: The Daily Herald
|
