Emma Daken wears out second pair of shoes

                                             Media release – December 16, 2008

Emma Daken wears out second pair of shoes

Emma Daken wears out second pair of shoes, battles shin splits heading into Canterbury in quest to set record as youngest Kiwi to walk the length of NZ – for Cystic Fibrosis research

   Determined Wellington student Emma Daken has worn out her second pair of shoes and is battling shin splits as she heads into Canterbury in quest to set record as youngest Kiwi to walk the length of NZ – for Cystic Fibrosis research.

   Daken had an unscheduled stop in Blenheim at the weekend to ease her shin splints and was gifted a free pair of shoes, her third since leaving Cape Reinga on starting November 1, before heading down the coast. She is expected to reach Christchurch on Saturday afternoon.

   ``Unfortunately my shins are really sore but I’m carrying on, don’t worry,’’ Daken said today.

   She has had her 20th birthday on the road and overcome early blisters, a virus, back ache and now shin splints to get this far.

   The Victoria University student is walking the 2200km 70 day walk to raise awareness and research funds for cystic fibrosis. She is scheduled to arrive in Bluff on January 9.

   Daken has given up all her Victoria University holiday break so she can complete the arduous walk – and has been walking marathon distances most days.

   Jucy Rentals is sponsoring Daken on her walk with a campa vehicle and a car for the whole 70 day journey. She has completed her second year of study at Victoria. Her inspiration for selecting the charity was from her contact with a very close friend who suffers from the condition. Her driver on the walk also has cystic fibrosis.

Cystic Fibrosis is NZ's most common life-threatening inherited condition and the Cystic Fibrosis Association is the only national organisation dedicated to all aspects of the condition.

   Emma will be visiting many of NZ's large and small towns on her walk and she hopes to get a lot of local support for her campaign. She has created a fundraising page - http://www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/EmmaDaken08/   so the public can follow her walking progress.

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