‘Miles For Measles’ Couple Reaches Cross Country Halfway Point

Couple Reaches Halfway Point Of Five-Month Trek From Washington To San Francisco To Raise Awareness, Funds To Save Children’s Lives In Africa

WASHINGTON, Thursday, September 02, 2004 — A Washington-area couple has reached the halfway point of a cross-country journey called ‘Miles for Measles’ that began in Washington on June to raise funds for the American Red Cross Measles Initiative and the Africa Great Lakes Initiative. The couple reached Rush Center, Kansas, last week, having run and biked more than 2,000 miles so far. The couple hopes to reach San Francisco in late October. The journey continues Matt Chico’s and Laura Shipler Chico’s commitment of working to better the lives of people around the world.

Matt is running while Laura rides the Transamerica Trail from Washington, D.C. to Pueblo, Colorado, where the two will pick up the Western Express route, a more direct course to San Francisco. The 10 states en route (3,800 miles) include Maryland; Washington, D.C.; Virginia; Kentucky; Illinois; Missouri; Kansas; Colorado; Utah; Nevada and California. Many of the 92 American Red Cross chapters and local universities along the way will host events.

"There have been countless moments that loom large in our memories," said Matt. "Every day seems to be a universe in and of itself, full of people and places that we could never have imagined encountering. From camping in the side yard of a coal mining family in Appalachia, to passing the afternoon at the Rusty Fork Cafe in Elk Horn City, Kentucky, playing cards and sipping on an endless supply of pink lemonade, each day is a different slice of America."

FACTS AT A GLANCE:

• The couple has run more than 2,000 miles.
• Matt will go through 12 pairs of running shoes – he is currently rotating through his seventh and eighth pair .
• Matt eats 5,000 calories per day and drinks 2-3 gallons of water per day.
• In one day, Matt ran 52 miles, a distance equal to two marathons.
• Prior to starting his journey, Matt had never run more than 75 miles in a week. His highest mileage week on the trek so far has been 253 miles.

"I am surprised at how much sodium my body craves. I found myself shaking salt on pizza on our large pie at a restaurant in Rush Center," Matt said. "I am amazed as my body constantly tries to heal itself once I give it enough food, water and rest."

Matt has volunteered and worked for the American Red Cross for more than seven years on humanitarian projects such as Hurricanes Mitch and Georges relief programs and a five-year child health project spanning 10 countries of Latin America. Laura, his wife, is graduating from a master's program in social work and has been hired to work at a conflict resolution center in Rwanda after their coast-to-coast journey.

Matt and Laura have chosen the American Red Cross Measles Initiative as a beneficiary of this coast-to-coast effort because of its effectiveness in preventing childhood deaths on a large scale - vaccinating 1.2 million children over the five year life of the initiative. The Africa Great Lakes Initiative will also publicize this cross-country odyssey to raise awareness and funds for trauma healing work in Rwanda. Matt and Laura will move to Rwanda in October 2004.

"One of our most memorable moments is running down the road at twilight with four horses running alongside us, manes blowing in the wind -- this has been an amazing journey so far," said Matt. "We're as motivated as ever to run and bike for two great causes -- and it's neat to see how other people catch the spirit and rally around us."

Launched in February 2001, the Measles Initiative is a long-term commitment to control measles deaths in Africa by vaccinating 200 million children and preventing 1.2 million deaths over five years. Leading this effort is the American Red Cross, United Nations Foundation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the World Health Organization (WHO). Other key players in the fight against measles include the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and countries and governments affected by measles. While the Measles Initiative is focused in Africa where the majority of measles-related deaths occur, partners also work on a wide-range of health initiatives around the world, including measles control and other vaccination services outside of Africa.

To follow Matt’s and Laura’s five-month journey or to make a financial donation, visit www.measlesinitiative.org.