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Milton grad?s venture
to honor Mifflinburg girl
By Kevin Mertz
Staff writer
Published:
Tuesday, September 21, 2010 10:41 AM CDT
MILTON ? A 2001 graduate of the Milton Area High School is getting ready to ride his bicycle 150 miles in honor of his 4-year-old niece.
Mark Hauck said his niece, Chaislynn Hauck, was diagnosed with phenylketonuria, or PKU, shortly after her birth. Chaislynn is the daughter of Michael Jr. and Rebecca Hauck, of Mifflinburg.
Mark describes PKU as ?a protein deficiency in which your body can?t break down certain proteins.?
?My brother can?t take (Chaislynn) out to a normal restaurant,? Mark said. ?She is on formula that helps her get the nutrients she needs. She?ll pretty much be on a formula her entire life. It helps her get her essential vitamins and minerals.?
Fortunately, Mark said the illness was caught early enough or Chaislynn could have suffered from brain damage. In cases where PKU is not diagnosed shortly after birth, Mark said children can suffer from brain damage as a result of not getting the proper nutrients.
On Wednesday, Mark will be hopping on a bicycle in Shinglehouse, which is located near the New York border. From there, he?ll ride 150 miles, mainly along Route 44. His ride will end at noon Saturday in Brown Avenue Park, Milton.
The ride is designed to raise awareness of PKU and funds for the National PKU Alliance. Last year, Mark raised $2,800 for the alliance by walking 130 miles in Massachusetts, where he lives. He hopes to surpass that amount with his bicycle ride.
Mark will be thinking about Chaislynn, and anyone battling PKU, constantly as he?s riding through Pennsylvania this week.
?It?s a driving factor for me,? he said of his niece and her illness. ?Not everyone is as fortunate as the person they?re standing next to. We?re all here to do something great or extraordinary.?
Mark believes that anyone who is willing and able should do something extraordinary.
He thinks the biggest challenge of his bike ride will be the mountains that he encounters.
?Being from Massachusetts, we don?t have mountains, we have hills,? Mark said. ?When I was training in Massachusetts over the last eight weeks, I thought this would be easy. When I got here, and saw these mountains, I thought that would be the toughest.?
As part of his training regimen, Mark said he?s been riding 20 to 40 miles per day, five days a week.
He?s also gained a major sponsorship for the ride from Big Earl?s Bike Shop, which Mark said is providing bicycles and related equipment at a deeply-discounted rate.
?That means a lot, especially because of the price of buying a decent bicycle and doing something like this,? Mark said. ?The average person, without a sponsorship, would probably be spending $2,500 to $3,000 out of pocket.?
Aside from the PKU, Mark describes Chaislynn as ?your average 4 year old.?
?She just started preschool,? Mark said. ?She loves running around and playing with anything and everything. She?s a very happy-going normal 4 year old.?
Those wishing to contribute to Mark?s efforts may send donations to: Service 1st Federal Credit Union, c/o PKU, 101 Walter Drive, Lewisburg, Pa. 17837.
Mark L. Hauck can be reached at 570-713-7841 or by email at [email protected] for additional information.
www.standard-journal.com
Milton grad?s venture
to honor Mifflinburg girl
By Kevin Mertz
Staff writer
Published:
Tuesday, September 21, 2010 10:41 AM CDT
MILTON ? A 2001 graduate of the Milton Area High School is getting ready to ride his bicycle 150 miles in honor of his 4-year-old niece.
Mark Hauck said his niece, Chaislynn Hauck, was diagnosed with phenylketonuria, or PKU, shortly after her birth. Chaislynn is the daughter of Michael Jr. and Rebecca Hauck, of Mifflinburg.
Mark describes PKU as ?a protein deficiency in which your body can?t break down certain proteins.?
?My brother can?t take (Chaislynn) out to a normal restaurant,? Mark said. ?She is on formula that helps her get the nutrients she needs. She?ll pretty much be on a formula her entire life. It helps her get her essential vitamins and minerals.?
Fortunately, Mark said the illness was caught early enough or Chaislynn could have suffered from brain damage. In cases where PKU is not diagnosed shortly after birth, Mark said children can suffer from brain damage as a result of not getting the proper nutrients.
On Wednesday, Mark will be hopping on a bicycle in Shinglehouse, which is located near the New York border. From there, he?ll ride 150 miles, mainly along Route 44. His ride will end at noon Saturday in Brown Avenue Park, Milton.
The ride is designed to raise awareness of PKU and funds for the National PKU Alliance. Last year, Mark raised $2,800 for the alliance by walking 130 miles in Massachusetts, where he lives. He hopes to surpass that amount with his bicycle ride.
Mark will be thinking about Chaislynn, and anyone battling PKU, constantly as he?s riding through Pennsylvania this week.
?It?s a driving factor for me,? he said of his niece and her illness. ?Not everyone is as fortunate as the person they?re standing next to. We?re all here to do something great or extraordinary.?
Mark believes that anyone who is willing and able should do something extraordinary.
He thinks the biggest challenge of his bike ride will be the mountains that he encounters.
?Being from Massachusetts, we don?t have mountains, we have hills,? Mark said. ?When I was training in Massachusetts over the last eight weeks, I thought this would be easy. When I got here, and saw these mountains, I thought that would be the toughest.?
As part of his training regimen, Mark said he?s been riding 20 to 40 miles per day, five days a week.
He?s also gained a major sponsorship for the ride from Big Earl?s Bike Shop, which Mark said is providing bicycles and related equipment at a deeply-discounted rate.
?That means a lot, especially because of the price of buying a decent bicycle and doing something like this,? Mark said. ?The average person, without a sponsorship, would probably be spending $2,500 to $3,000 out of pocket.?
Aside from the PKU, Mark describes Chaislynn as ?your average 4 year old.?
?She just started preschool,? Mark said. ?She loves running around and playing with anything and everything. She?s a very happy-going normal 4 year old.?
Those wishing to contribute to Mark?s efforts may send donations to: Service 1st Federal Credit Union, c/o PKU, 101 Walter Drive, Lewisburg, Pa. 17837.
Mark L. Hauck can be reached at 570-713-7841 or by email at [email protected] for additional information.
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