And Miles to Go Before I Sleep

For many people, the diagnosis of diabetes can be life-changing, for Bob Scheidt it was life transforming. Today, Bob shares his message of hope and good health as he treks the continents of the world.

Living an Active Lifestyle with Diabetes

Bob Scheidt lives in southeastern Pennsylvania and has been a diabetic since 1973. Back in the 1970s, he suffered a severe leg fracture and in the early 1980s began using SOLO custom orthotics to address his leg length discrepancy. The orthotics were vital in his role as an elite athlete who ran ultra marathons including 100-mile races and a continuous 80-mile run over 24-hours. His crowning achievement was a six-day/six-night race on a ¼ mile track. He covered 274 miles and was the first Type I diabetic to ever finish the race.

Educating Others on the Journey

In 1997, Bob began a new mission to educate people about living an active and healthy lifestyle as a person with diabetes. He travels for weeks at a time sharing his message around the United States and the world.

His walking journey started in Pennsylvania and quickly expanded throughout the country. He’s walked around the Great Lakes except for Lake Huron. He’s walked from Seattle, WA, to New Jersey raising awareness and hosting up to three programs a day on diabetes.

While he’s on the road, he encourages schools, hospitals, churches and civic groups to host an event to raise awareness for diabetes. The event includes Bob sharing his story about staying fit and healthy while walking all over the world. At the conclusion of the events, he invites people to join him for a mile or several miles as he journeys on to the next town. “It’s a great way to meet people,” notes Bob. “I’ve met people from all over the world and made lasting friendships.” These friends will often join him for part of his pilgrimage. “It’s a great way to reconnect with friends, enjoy their company and uplift one another when the road gets difficult. It becomes a spiritual journey.”  

Follow His Adventures

Bob is currently preparing for his upcoming 31-day hike across Spain. He’ll traverse two mountains, Cruz de Ferro and O Cebreiro, and walk across the Meseta, which is similar to the Great Plains of the United States. You can follow Bob’s pilgrimage on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and his website at www.diabetescrusader.org. Look for future updates about Bob’s important work to raise awareness about diabetes.

Serve Others, Love Others means sharing this important message throughout the world.

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