A New Zealand man will be stopping in Sault Ste. Marie Wednesday as part of his approximately 7,400-kilometre solo run across Canada in an effort to raise money for children fighting cancer.
Jon Nabbs departed from St. John’s, Nfld. this past May with the goal of raising $60,000 for both Childhood Cancer Canada and the Child Cancer Foundation back home in New Zealand.
It’s a deeply personal journey for Nabbs, whose parents died of cancer in 2020 and 2021.
“I wanted to do something more meaningful; I wanted a big challenge,” he said, speaking with SooToday Tuesday. “I know that awful feeling, it’s like you’ve been kicked in the stomach when a diagnosis comes into the family.
“I just thought maybe along the way I could inspire a few people, and people that need a bit of raising spirits.”
Nabbs is running across the country while pushing a stroller full of camping gear, clothing and food supplies he has nicknamed ‘Shania’ after Canadian country music superstar Shania Twain.
He has been known to don a Superman costume at times while on his journey, all in hopes of raising the spirits of children he meets along the way who have been affected by cancer.
“It seems to put really big smiles on faces, which is so wonderful to be able to do,” he said.
Nabbs has so far been able to raise more than $18,000 towards his fundraising goal, with nearly $9,000 of that earmarked for Childhood Cancer Canada.
“It’s still a long way to go, but I’m just really grateful for everything we’ve raised so far,” he said.
The outdoors enthusiast believes he would be the first New Zealander to run across Canada and just the eighth person in the world to ever complete it.
But the run is far from over. Once Nabbs completes a handful of pre-arranged stops in Sault Ste. Marie Wednesday, he’ll begin the next stretch of his journey, which will take him up Highway 17 North towards Wawa, Ont.
From running through inclement weather in Atlantic Canada to a heatwave in southern Ontario, Nabbs says the real highlight of his cross-country fundraiser has been the Canadians he’s met at all the different stops along the way.
“The people I meet along the way have just made the journey, and I know that sounds cliché, but it’s so true,” he said.
Following the death of his parents, Nabbs walked more than 3,000 kilometres across his native New Zealand as a way of processing his loss. Inspired in part by Terry Fox and the Marathon of Hope, Nabbs knew he wanted to run across Canada for a worthy cause.
He expects to conclude his journey in Victoria, B.C. just before Christmas.
“It’s the greatest adventure, the greatest experience a person could ask for. It’s huge,” he said. “I’ve never done anything as wonderful or daunting — or great — as this.”
Donations to Childhood Cancer Canada can be made here.
More information on Nabbs’ cross-country run can be followed on Instagram, TikTok and his own website.
