Skating up the east coast for a good cause

Merideth McDonald is skating over 1,400 miles up the east coast from Florida all the way up to Massachusetts. Her reason for this tumultuous journey is simple to raise awareness about brain injuries.
 
“The pain that I’m feeling every single day is temporary and it pales in comparison to what survivors and caregivers and people that have been impacted with brain injury deal with on a daily basis and that’s what I want people to realize that this is temporary for me and I know that every second its hard to put on those skates and take another roll that this is why I’m doing it,” says Merideth.

According to the CDC, every day 138 people in the U.S. die from traumatic brain injuries and those who survive a brain injury can face effects lasting a few days to disabilities which may last the rest of their lives.

Seven years ago Meredith’s husband, Nate, was in a near fatal motorcycle accident in Boston. He wasn’t expected to live suffering from major brain injuries, but he pulled through and was given a second chance.

“There’s no denying that God wants me here doing something for him and this is what i think I’m here to do to be the hands and feet to this population to spread his love and show people what’s it like to live a big life,” explains Nate.

Merideth adds, “We want to turn our mess into a mission to just inspire people to live big in spite of it all.”

And to help spread the word Merideth brought out the skates. She says its not always easy, especially when fatigue and pain set in, but the amazing people she meets along her journey keep her going. People like Karren Paglia, a mother of three and eastern shore native, who is fighting for her life.

Karren explains, “I’ve been fighting cancer for five years but my tumor is back and its growing and its spreading. At this point I just have to live life to the fullest, I can’t have anymore surgeries.”

Paglia says meeting Merideth was a blessing and an inspiration. Merideth says this is what her journey is all about.

Merideth is a little over half way, with five states down. She plans on reaching the end of their journey in  Boston on October 14th. So far they have raised a little over $13,000 to develop the BIG life campus and expand the mobile BIG Life ambassador program.