Doctor Bikes East Coast Greenway For Cancer Awareness

A doctor from Georgia is pedaling 3,000 miles from Key West to Maine to raise money for pediatric cancer research.

Dr. Glenn Hirsch, of WellStar's East Cobb Medical Center, was inspired to make the trek after his 11 year old nephew, Ian, lost his battle with leukemia in 2006.

After his death, Ian's parents started the I Care I Cure Foundation to fund research for targeted therapies that would be left toxic.

"I thought, at the time, I could turn my interest in riding up the East Coast for the benefit of an organization that is near and dear the hearts of my wife and myself," says Dr. Hirsch.

The 62 year old doctor is an avid cyclist, who has biked thousands of miles for a variety of foundations.  When he was 50, he made the cross-country trek from Seattle to Washington, D.C. in 48 days to support the American Lung Association.

East Cobb Patch reports Hirsch is biking along the East Coast Greenway in segments, and has traveled through eight states so far, covering 1,800 miles.

Hirsch began the first segment of the East Coast Greenway in November 2009 from Key West, and now, he's in Trenton, ready to start the next leg of the trip.

His wife, Lynn, who is originally from Lakewood, maintains a blog called I Care I Cure I Cycle, which is dedicated to "Uncle Glenn's East Coast Greenway Bike Ride."  It has pictures, maps, and a link for making donations to the I Care I Cure Foundation.

According to the blog, Uncle Glenn will begin the next segment Tuesday morning from Trenton and make his way to Boston by Sunday Sept. 23.

If you would like to volunteer and ride along with Dr. Hirsch, check the blog page for route details and daily updates starting tomorrow.