Jon Nabbs is running across Canada to raise money for child cancer research. (Ross Lavigne/CHAT News)

By Eli J. Ridder | @EliRidder

New Zealand man fundraising for child cancer research in cross-Canada run to stop in Medicine Hat

Dec 29, 2023 | 12:02 PM

A New Zealand man dressed as Superman will be running through Medicine Hat on Saturday — just one stop in his journey across Canada to raise money for child cancer research.

Jon Nabbs walked thousands of kilometres across his home country after his parents died due to cancer.

Now, he’s taking on Canada as a new challenge.

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“It’s a huge, beautiful country and I wanted to come here, see if I could run across it,” he told CHAT News on Friday.

Nabbs is following the route set by Canadian icon and cancer amputee Terry Fox.

Jon Nabbs running near Lake Superior in 2023. (Jon Nabbs)

“A lot of Canadians don’t actually realize but his story reached all around the world back in 1980, when he ran, including down to the bottom of the world in New Zealand,” Nabbs said.

So far, Nabbs has raised $36,000 for Childhood Cancer Canada and the Child Cancer Foundation of New Zealand.

With the Rocky Mountains still to cross and about 1,500 kilometres left to go to reach his end goal of Victoria, B.C., Nabbs hopes to hit his fundraising target of $60,000.

Nabbs will arrive in at Kim Coulee Park nearby the Trans-Canada Highway on Saturday afternoon. After taking a rest day on New Year’s Eve, Nabbs will leave from the park on his way to Edmonton on Monday morning.

Nabbs said anyone is welcome to join him as he runs through the city.

Those interested in donating can do so by visiting the Childhood Cancer Canada or New Zealand’s Child Cancer Foundation pages.