A Winnipeg man whose 160-day effort to run across Canada from Newfoundland to Port Coquitlam last year was inspired by Terry Fox is back in the Canadian hero’s hometown today, June 7.
This time, though, he’s an author.
Jackson Charron-Okerlund will be at Castle Park from 12 to 8 p.m. today promoting a young adult novel he’s published about his own cross-country running adventure that raised $100,000 for cancer research.
Except the protagonist in Brunswick’s Big Adventure is a moose.
In a crowdfunding campaign for the project, Charron-Okerlund said he hopes money raised from sales of the book will double his contribution to the battle against cancer.
“This book is more than a tale of endurance,” he said. “It’s an opportunity to contribute to the vital cause of advancing cancer research, inching us closer to a world without this devastating disease.”
Since the beginning of May, Charron-Okerlund has been replicating his 7,000 km run. But this time, he’s driving a van that offers a few more creature comforts than the old camper nicknamed "MaryAn" that was his constant companion and crash pad during last year’s run that culminated with a welcome celebration in Port Coquitlam and included a special package of city treats from Mayor Brad West.
Along the way, Charron-Okerlund has stopped and set up his display table in parks and rest areas in various cities to meet people who’ve been following his journeys on social media, hear their own stories about how cancer has touched their lives and sell his book.
“Too many have lost their mothers, fathers, sons and daughters to this terrible disease,” Charron-Okerlund said. “I would be grateful for a day cancer is only written about in history books.”
Unlike his run, though, Charron-Okerlund isn’t ending his latest trek in Port Coquitlam.
He’ll be in Victoria on Saturday, June 8, then travel back up through Kamloops and on to northern Alberta and Saskatchewan.
@tricitynews Cross Canada Jax. 👏👟 #tricitynews #portcoquitlam #terryfox #crosscanadajax #seeyousoon ♬ original sound - TriCityNews
