Tyler ORTON
Contributor
Abbotsford’s Center for Epilepsy and Seizure Education is getting a boost from a local man embarking next month on a 4,200-kilometre hike along the West Coast in an effort to raise money and awareness for the neurological disorder.
The Pacific Crest Trail will take Rob Murray from the U.S.-Mexico border in California through to Oregon and Washington states before reaching Manning Provincial Park just east of Hope, B.C.
The trek is expected to take six months.
“The hike itself is something I’ve wanted to do for several years now and I figured because of the magnitude of it, it’s going to allow me a lot of contact with people along the trail – thousands of people are on different sections of the trail every year,” Murray said. “I could have sat back and kept on figuring out reasons why not to do it for forever. I just figured this was the year to do it.”
He said epilepsy has affected his family directly in the past – Murray’s brother was just 22 years old when he died due to complications from a seizure in 1996. His main goal is to help people overcome misconceptions about seizures and epilepsy.
Murray, a 34-year-old medic who works in the northern Alberta oil fields, said he will head to California by the beginning of next month to prepare for the trail before setting off April 25.
In the meantime, he’s hiking every chance he gets while he’s in Abbotsford. During the weeks he works in the oil fields, Murray is on the treadmill each day to ensure he’s in condition to keep up with the demands of the trail.
“We’ll be spending extended periods of time over 10,000 feet, so it’s hard to train for that. But it’s just a matter of getting one foot in front of the other...” he said. “Giving up my life in Abbotsford to go out and get this done is probably going to be the biggest (challenge).”
Murray won’t be entirely cut off from civilization once he starts the half-year expedition.
He’ll get to check his email an average of once every five days due to the fact the trail connects to some small towns.
Murray is going to be relying on mail drops to re-supply his food and equip him with different gear as the seasons change and he progresses through different terrain.
He is also bringing a GPS Spot device that includes an emergency signal to inform local dispatchers if he’s in need of rescue.
“I’m sure as it gets closer (my thinking) will be, ‘What have I gotten into?’” he said. “But I love hiking and I just love being in the outdoors. To be able to do it for six months is really exciting.”
People who wish to support Murray can find more information at the Facebook group Steps for Change. Donations can be sent through the Center of Epilepsy and Seizure Education’s located at www.epilepsy.cc.