WTOC, Savannah, Georgia, news, weather and sports | Teenager cycling to raise awareness for Hepatitis B
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By Michelle Paynter - bio | email
HARDEEVILLE, SC (WTOC) - A Florida teenager is braving the heat and bicycling his way up the east coast and making a stop in the Low Country.
It's all to raise awareness for Hepatitis B, a disease that attacks the liver. 17-year-old John Ellis was diagnosed with Hepatitis B two years ago.
Ellis left his hometown of Pensacola last Monday and will end up in Philadelphia by June 23. He and his friend are averaging about 60 miles a day on their bikes. They stopped for a breather outside of Hardeeville this morning.
Ellis said he hopes this tour will make a difference. "I don't just want to sit around and fight for myself, Hepatitis B has effected a lot of people," he said.
Doctors told Ellis he will eventually need a liver transplant. Statistics show one out of every 20 Americans is infected with Hepatitis B.
