What happens when a man’s wife, children, friends and neighbors rally in support around his Parkinson’s diagnosis? A 25-mile group hike through the Grand Canyon that is. Team Fox member Jeff Hamer, who was diagnosed with PD four years ago, is preparing for his fifth rim-to-river-to-rim hike in the Grand Canyon with his wife, three children and five other friends and neighbors. They embark on Wednesday, August 8.

When asked what this hike means to him, Jeff acknowledged, “I suppose I’m a bit of a Grand Canyon groupie, visited scores of times, hiked rim-to-rim five times. Although traveled all over the world, nowhere else “sings” to me like this: vastness, spectacular beauty, incredible color, the work of hundreds of millions of years on display. Puts us and our problems in a context. I’m frankly terrified of this hike this time as the last rim-to-rim I did was a decade ago, very much pre-Parkinson’s, and I’m the oldest of our group. But if able to complete it represents laughter in the face of disability and disease.”

Jeff’s team hopes to raise $10,000 for Team Fox, and all funds they raise will be doubled, twice; first by Jeff and his wife, Debbie, and again by the Brin Wojcicki Challenge. Let’s wish the Hamer family (pictured above) and their friends luck as they challenge Parkinson’s during this 25-mile hike.