Winnipeg man discusses his Cross-Canada run inspired by Terry Fox

A Winnipeg man shared his story of running across Canada in honour of his hero, Terry Fox.

A Winnipeg man is sharing his story about how he paid tribute to his hero and ran across Canada to raise money for cancer research.

Jackson Charron-Okerlund, who works at Poseidon Care Centre as a recreational aide, ran across Canada over 160 days, inspired by Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope. He raised more than $100,000 for the Terry Fox Foundation in Toronto.

It was his work at the care centre that inspired him to train and undertake the challenge.

“There was one Christmas where I walked into a room where this lady turned 100 years old, and she was surrounded by many of her generations, her kids, her grandkids, her great grandkids,” Charron-Okerlund said. “And what I realized was with cancer, not everyone had that opportunity to be 100 and to be in that room surrounded by all their generations. My hero, Terry Fox, did not get that opportunity. So I wanted to do something about that, and made sure everyone had that opportunity to be 100 and be surrounded by all their loved ones.”

Charron-Okerlund started the journey alone for the first 40 days, running with a stroller carrying his supplies. However, over time, it grew.

“People were coming far and wide to find me on the highway, make a donation, give me gifts and whatnot, and tell their stories about their loved ones who may have lost the battle of cancer, or their loved ones who... were actually alive,” he said.

Charron-Okerlund said the biggest challenge of the marathon was the Prairies.

“Going into it, I thought it would be the easiest because it’s so flat and you just got to go one foot in front of the other. But it turned out it was starting to be the hottest parts of summer,” he said. “Turns out, going on different elevations actually works different muscles in your legs, so you’re constantly changing up what you’re working. So going straight across the prairies for like, a month and a half, by the end of it, I was in a fever dream.”

Charron-Okerlund ended his journey at Port Coquitlam, B.C., where Terry Fox is buried.

He said he is proud of how he helped raise money for cancer research.

“Every dollar does go to helping someone, and every day, they’re making new advancements,” he said. “And it’s so important to keep pushing to a world free of cancer, because I know we can get there.”