Keystone resident Dan Marion, along with his friend and Pennsylvania resident Eddie Appelbaum, will be cycling 1,000 miles to raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The duo departed last week from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

The two are cycling to Orlando, Fla. with limited cycling experience, Craigslist-purchased bikes and ample amounts of college debt in order to have one last philanthropic adventure before the rigors of the “real world” begin.

“We wanted to do this journey in memory of the kids whose journeys were cut short, who could not have their own adventures because poor health controlled their lives,” Marion said.

The two were inspired by their mutual friend Tom Raz, whose sister Noy died when she was 10 from neuroblastoma cancer.

“She was like a tiger with a red head and a lot of energy,” Raz said.

Appelbaum recently finished his first year of medical school at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He has a bachelor’s in kinesiology from the University of Maryland and a masters in medical science from Drexel University.

Last month, Marion graduated from Colorado College with a bachelor’s in English literature and a minor in Spanish.

“The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia has a special place in my heart,” Appelbaum said. “When I was 3 years old, I suffered from a subdural hematoma, bleeding in the brain, and was in a coma for seven hours. The care I received at CHOP more than 20 years ago was the best my family and I could ask for and has allowed me to prosper in life, especially now in medical school. I want the care I received two decades ago to continue for children for many years to come.”

The duo is compiling a documentary of other children’s stories of triumph and tribulations along their ride.

Their goal is to raise $10,000 for Children’s Miracle Network at the hospital.

“But perhaps more importantly, we’ll show that life’s not about the money you make, the fame you gather or the jobs you have; it’s about inspiring people to do good things,” Marion said.

Financial donations toward the Children’s Miracle Network can be made at http://giving.chop.edu/goto/Eddie