Seven years ago a priest read Robin Grapa her last rites while she lay unconscious in a hospital bed.

Today Grapa, 26, is a survivor of aplastic anemia, a non-contagious disease that occurs when bone marrow stops making enough healthy blood cells for the body's needs.

She and her mother, Patty Laatsch, 48, hiked through the Reno-Tahoe area last week, part of their 5,000-mile cross-country trek along the American Discovery Trail to raise awareness for bone marrow diseases.

"The hike is in celebration of (my) good health," Grapa said. "The physical abilities that might be easy to take for granted each day."

Grapa said she wants to raise awareness for the disease because of the lack of fundraising efforts currently in place.

Their goal is to raise $1 million and the pair have already raised more than $100,000.

"I know this disease could come back," Laatsch said. "If it does, I know I will have helped raise dollars to find a cure."

The mother-daughter team started the hike in Phillips, Wisc. on February 4, and averages 20 to 30 miles a day and takes the occasional day off to enjoy the warm hospitality of locals.

They plan to finish their trek October 27 at Limantour Beach in Point Reyes National Seashore.

"I've always wanted to do something huge," Grapa said. "This is my way of celebrating life."

Someone in the U.S. is diagnosed with aplastic anemia every 17 minutes and an estimated 30,000 people have the disease.



For more information go to www.ourhike.com