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