KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- It's a 248-mile walk from Kansas City to St. Louis. And the man who will take every step hopes it raises awareness for a young girl battling cancer.
Adleigh is a two-year-old battling a rare type of brain cancer. According to a GoFundMe page for the girl, she has Diffused Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG).
"It's a death sentence," said Jim Hickey who is making the walk. But added, "hopefully there will be a miracle here. She is responding to radiation."
Hickey, who hopes to finish by March 15, said he discovered Adleigh's story after finishing another walk to raise awareness for another young girl battling cancer.
In November, Hickey said he completed a walk from Wrigley Field in Chicago to Busch Stadium in St. Louis to help a young girl named Lydia.
Hickey met Adleigh and her family because Lydia and Adleigh were being treated on the same day at the same hospital. He then made a promise to Adleigh's mother to walk from Kansas City to St. Louis to raise awareness for her story and her type of cancer.
"He is amazing for what he is doing," Adleigh's mother Dawn Biles told 41 Action News. "Can you imagine facing a 275-mile WALK! I am so grateful to Mr. Jim for walking for Adleigh and bringing awareness to what these kids are facing."
According to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, what Adleigh and young children who also have DIPG face an extremely low survival rate.
"We are facing the worst of the worst," Biles said. But she added. "We just try to live life to the fullest every single day and create as many memories and smiles as we can."
Biles gave Hickey advice when he encounters adversity on the walk.
"[She] said to me 'when you have your tough days, think of your time here with Adaleigh'" Hickey said. "And that does help."
Hickey said he stops in towns along his walk and speaks with people to raise awareness. He doesn't accept donations but sends willing people to Facebook pages and GoFundMe pages run by the girl's family.
Before leaving, Hickey said he hopes his walk also inspires others to help someone in their community.
