Fern is seen with his wife, Carol, at the Southwick Rail Trail on Thursday. (Photo from Kevin’s IV Pole)
SOUTHWICK – Kevin Fern could be seen walking through Western Massachusetts on Wednesday with his yellow, reflective vest and his IV (Intravenous) pole.
A 50-year-old from Redondo Beach, Calif., Fern began a 3,300 mile walk from the Manhattan Beach Pier on March 25. With his wife, Carol, joining him in the journey with an RV, Fern started his walk from Manhattan Beach to Phoenix, and then worked his way down to New Mexico. From there, he went through Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, before heading through Ohio, Illinois, West Virginia, and Pittsburgh. Going through New York and Connecticut as recently as Wednesday, Fern was seen walking through the Southwick Rail Trail, down Rt. 57 into Agawam, and past the Eastern States Exposition on Thursday.
Fern enjoyed his walk through the rail trail that connected into Southwick.
“That one is probably at the top of how nice it is,” said Fern.
With the goal of walking 25 miles a day, Fern’s route will end at Dana Farber in Boston on November 9, where Fern will greet patients. Fern’s longest day of walking so far has been 32 miles.
The reason for Fern’s long journey is his devotion to stop childhood cancer. Having a non-profit organization called Kevin’s IV Pole to help promote awareness and raise money for childhood cancer, Fern was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 1985. After going through chemotherapy treatments at a local hospital near where he lived in Lancaster County, Penn., it was suggested by a nurse that Fern apply to join a childhood cancer camp.
Fern is shown with his IV Pole in West Springfield, as he continues to walk through Massachusetts this week. (Photo by Greg Fitzpatrick)
In the summer of 1986, Fern went to Camp Can-Do in Mount Gretna, PA. At the camp, the Pennsylvania native was able to form relationships with other kids going through cancer and get a better grasp of his struggle.
“It changed my life, every kid there had cancer,” said Fern. “When someone has cancer and you have cancer, you don’t have to say a thing, it’s an instantaneous understanding.”
Fern also added that any money that is given to Kevin’s IV Pole will go back to any of the over 150 childhood cancer camps that are across the United States.
Fern is excited to arrive into Boston on November 9, his 3,300-mile walk will be officially completed when he walks to Carson Beach in Boston.
“I can smell the lobster roll,” Fern laughed.
Once Fern and his wife drive their RV back to Redondo Beach, their hope is to partner with the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles. The California resident’s hope is to get families at the hospital to join his mission of walking with an IV Pole to help raise money for childhood cancer.
With a smile on his face, Fern believes his help is on the way.
“I want them to take the IV Pole and push the pole, even for 100 ft. would be super,” said Fern. “The amount of people we’ve met along the way, we have takers already.”
