Grandpa Bob's making tracks

Grandpa Bobs Walk for Louie-28

Bob Facca (far right) and his entourage, which included an escort along Guelph St. by the Halton Hills Fire Department, made the 5-km hike from Norval to downtown Georgetown on Thursday as part of Grandpa Bob's 4,000-km Walk for Louie. Joining Facca (from left) are his best friend Tony Pomponio and Mark Bailey and Mark Burger of the Halton Hills Fire Department.

Bob Facca (far right) and his entourage, which included an escort along Guelph St. by the Halton Hills Fire Department, made the 5-km hike from Norval to downtown Georgetown on Thursday as part of Grandpa Bob's 4,000-km Walk for Louie.

Facca began his journey on May 12 in Quebec City and plans to reach the finish line for the walk in Winnipeg in December, while raising research funds for his six-year-old grandson Louie and all other young boys afflicted with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

The stop in Georgetown marks a milestone for Facca's walk as the group will surpass the 1,000-km point. He has been covering 20 kms per day and has nearly reached the halfway point in fundraising the eventual goal of $1 million.

Muscular dystrophies are a group of genetic, degenerative diseases primarily affecting the voluntary muscles. Duchenne is the most common and severe form. The illness almost exclusively affects boys. It is caused by the absence of dystrophin, a protein that helps keep muscle cells intact.