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Most mornings, Alex D'Albini is out walking through the subdivisions of Eagle Mountain, logging about 5 miles a day.
The 42-year-old D'Albini's walks are health-related, but they aren't part of a personal exercise regimen. D'Albini is training to walk across the continent to raise funds for research into Parkinson's disease, as well as increase public awareness of the condition.
"I should be able to walk if my motor skills don't deteriorate," said D'Albini, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's at age 36.
The diagnosis, which affected his dexterity, ended his life-long career as a carpenter, and pushed him in a new direction: He has since become a life coach with Clarity Coaching. A deep-brain stimulator, a pacemaker-like device, keeps the disease under control.
But D'Albini decided he needed to do something to help find a cure, as well as increase public awareness.
With Parkinson's, the brain loses dopamine-producing cells, resulting in tremors, slowness of movement and impaired balance. Well-known people who have the disease include former boxing champion Muhammad Ali, actor Michael J. Fox and former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno.
D'Albini's plan is to walk about 22 miles a day between San Francisco and Boston, giving speeches in different cities along the way. He will also collect money pledged by supporters for research.
He figures the walk, which will start in March, will take five months to complete.
Along with his training walks, D'Albini is also setting up a non-profit foundation to handle the promotion. A Facebook page dedicated to the walk had 43 followers as of Oct. 4.
Kimberly Giles, a life coach who works with D'Albini, said his determination is inspiring. She said he has a positive attitude, and while it will be a challenge, she's confident he can pull it off.
"If anybody with his condition can do it, it is Alex," Giles said.
On the Web:
Read about Alex's Walk Across America for Parkinson's Awareness Facebook group • tinyurl.com/39vnpuo.