Real-life superhero stopping in Kamloops on run to help kids with cancer

Jon Nabbs has been running more than a marathon a day across Canada to raise money for children fighting cancer and his journey takes him through Kamloops next week.

Nabbs, who's originally from New Zealand, will be running through Kamloops on Tuesday, Feb. 13, dressed as Superman as part of the challenge he's set himself, to run across Canada from St. John's to Vancouver while stopping at hospitals to visit children with cancer to raise their spirits.

He knows the desperate feeling when a member of the family is diagnosed with cancer having lost both his parents within four month.

"I wanted to take that grief and do something constructive, and something that I think would have made them proud," Nabbs says. "Alongside my parents, another huge inspiration for this run was Terry Fox. I found out about him from my college girlfriend back in New Zealand in 2012. She was Canadian and introduced me to the story."

His endeavour began on May 3 and he plans to arrive in Vancouver, his final destination, on Feb. 29, taking about 300 days to run across the whole country. So far, he has run 6,056 kilometres of the 7,524.

He has had some difficulties along the way. Running more than a marathon a day comes with its fair share of injuries and other challenges. His motivation has stayed strong and the support he's received along the way has only pushed him to keep on going.

"I’ve been receiving an overwhelming amount of support in the Canadian towns and cities I’ve run through. People have been so kind and supportive – it’s been beautiful. It’s difficult to run over a marathon per day, but remembering why I’m out here and the people this run is serving really helps to push through the pain on the days I feel like stopping," Nabbs says.

He hopes to collect $100,000 by the end of his endeavour and has so far raised $61,000. The money will be donated to Childhood Cancer Canada and Child Cancer Foundation.

To donate to the cause, and to find out more about Jon Nabbs and his run, visit his website here or find him on social media.

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