A Father's Journey - 100 marathons in 140 days for mental health awareness

The subject of mental health awareness and research is one which is near and dear to my heart.  NARSAD, or the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression, is a non-profit which is doing some great work to sponsor researchers looking for cures and better treatments for mental illnesses.

Their site led me to http://www.afathersjourney.org.  This man's daughter has been suffering from schizophrenia for at least 12 years.

In his words:

I would like to create awareness for the unfairness of mental illness,  how most people afflicted are really nice people and to raise substantial donations to hopefully help improve the quality of my daughters life.

My dilemma is how to create an event that would be interesting enough to capture peoples interest.  I'm not much of a singer or dancer and I can't do much in sports.

But I can run.  So on September 19, 2010 I plan to leave from Savannah, Georgia and attempt to complete 100 marathons in 140 days, crossing the country on foot and finishing in Los Angeles on February 6, 2011.

This event will be to benefit two organizations:  NARSAD, the largest charity in the world funding mental health research, and NAMI, the organization that supports families when they are dealing with challenges of having a family member or friend with mental illness.

What this father is doing is incredible, and his cause is worthy of support.