On August 10, Noah Allison will start his second 144 km run for bladder cancer awareness from Prince Rupert to Terrace.
He is undertaking the journey from the Lester Centre of the Arts in Rupert to George Little Park in Terrace in memory of his father Markus, who he lost to cancer last year. He expects to be in Terrace Aug. 16.
Last year, Markus was with Noah during the August run to support him. The inaugural event raised more than $6,000. This year, he aims to surpass that amount and take bladder cancer awareness to new heights.
“One hundred per cent of all money raised will go towards CCS’s (Canadian Cancer Society) investment into cancer prevention programs, life-saving research and a compassionate support network, helping people with cancer to live longer, fuller lives,” said Allison.
Markus was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2020, and eventually lost a leg due to chemotherapy complications and underwent kidney failure in the following years. After a long, hard battle with the disease, he chose to end it Sept. 20, 2023 through the Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) program.
“Earlier on in his journey with cancer, he said that if it ever came to a time when he couldn't enjoy the foods that he loved, or needed help getting in and out of his wheelchair, he was ready for the next stage in life, and he stuck to that. He showed me how to live with integrity and to never quit because something gets hard,” said Noah.
Noah, or as he is known by his traditional name “Si liiłgm lax süülda” has planned to split the upcoming 144-kilometre run into 29 5Ks (20 km per day for seven straight days). Twenty-nine friends and family members are joining him so far, and he’s asking more people to accompany them on one or more legs of the marathon or to donate to the cause.
He said that running brought him peace on his darkest days. His father's journey with cancer taught him how to channel the negative energy of a situation into a positive one that can bring about change for all families battling the disease.
