Scleroderma Awareness: Jim's 2024 Journey

---

My name is Jim Hines. I am a retired aerospace engineer and lecturer/instructor. More importantly, I am a supporter of my wife Roberta, who has lived with scleroderma for 49 years. Throughout her life, she has faced the trials and tribulations of this disease, starting with Raynaud’s and progressing to gastric, pulmonary, and other complications. Despite having undergone multiple surgeries due to the disease, Roberta remains positive, optimistic, and always eager to help others. She, along with many others in the scleroderma support community, inspires me. I have met remarkable individuals in the Orange County support group she co-leads and at various Southern California Scleroderma Foundation events, all of whom are adept at managing their struggles.

During a vacation in Spain and Portugal, Roberta and I encountered hikers on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. This pilgrimage, also known as The Way of St James, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that has been cherished for over a thousand years. “The Way” is seen as an inner journey, a quest for balance and well-being. Watching the pilgrims embark on their spiritual journey to Santiago de Compostela reminded me of the daily struggles faced by individuals with scleroderma, each forging their own path. Given my recent knee and hip replacements, I wanted to honor those with scleroderma, especially after participating in fundraising for scleroderma through the Stepping Out to Cure Scleroderma program. Hiking the Camino de Santiago felt like the perfect tribute. Life is indeed a day-by-day journey for both the pilgrims and those living with scleroderma.

The Camino de Santiago features numerous routes, symbolized by a seashell, all leading to Santiago de Compostela, the burial site of Saint James. To date, I have completed three Camino routes: in 2021, I walked the popular Frances's route; in 2022, I tackled the Portuguese Central and Finisterre routes (the latter translates to “the End of the World”); and in 2023, I completed the del Norte route. This del Norte route spanned over 512 miles, beginning in Irun near the French border and taking me along the stunning northern Spanish coast. I concluded my journey in Santiago de Compostela on July 25, 2023, just in time to celebrate the Feast of Saint James. This year, I will embark on the Camino de la Plata, or Silver route, which starts in Seville and stretches approximately 620 miles north to Santiago in September.