A B.C. man is walking more than 600 kilometres to raise awareness for schizophrenia.
Three weeks ago, on Sunday, July 5th, Steve Heimburger began his Walk for Hope, a fundraiser for the B.C. Schizophrenia Society.
Heimburger, a recently furloughed pilot from the Lower Mainland, says his goal is to walk from Castlegar to Hope along The Great Trail of Canada.
He’s hoping to complete the 650-km distance by Sunday, July 26.
“I have all this time and I love to hike,” Heimburger told Global News. “And I thought ‘Why not embark on an extended hike, and, at the same time, raise some awareness and some money for the (B.C. Schizophrenia Society)?”
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He hopes to raise $5,000 for the organization. Those wanting to make a donation can do so by clicking here.
Heimburger says an extended family member has been affected by schizophrenia. He said the family member was misdiagnosed, but is now receiving proper treatment, and that the B.C. Schizophrenia Society has helped.
“What this family went through is common,” said Faydra Aldridge, chief executive officer for B.C. Schizophrenia Society.
“Our programs and services exist to help educate people about schizophrenia and help them find hope. They make a difference in the lives of families.”
The B.C. Schizophrenia Society is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1982 by families and friends of people with schizophrenia. Since then, BCSS has grown into a province-wide family support system.
For more information about BCSS, click here.