Heroes Circle 5K Run/Walk

The Heroes Circle 5K Run/Walk/Move raises funds to support Kids Kicking Cancer | Heroes Circle Canada. The Heroes Circle provides evidence-based martial arts therapy to kids focusing on pain and stress management for pediatric patients, as well as creating resilience and support for otherwise healthy children. Specially trained black belt martial artists teach meditative breathing techniques, mindfulness and martial arts movement, engaging children’s imaginations while teaching them how to work through overwhelming emotions like pain, fear and anger. There is never a cost for children to participate.

The Heroes Circle is exclusively funded by generous donors. Your support will allow us to continue our important mission of easing the pain and trauma of children while empowering them to heal physically, spiritually and emotionally.

The event was established in honour of a remarkable little boy named Jesse McLean. Jesse was only 11 years old when he was diagnosed with stage 4 Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumours (PNETS) on May 12, 1995. During Jesse’s treatment, he spent time at Saint John Regional Hospital in New Brunswick, and he befriended an 11 year old child with stage 4 Neuroblastoma. Jesse would often visit his new friend who was living down the hallway from him in the hospital, and despite being a child himself, he often helped her prepare for her upcoming treatments. After enduring approximately 20 months of an aggressive cancer treatment, Jesse died from his disease on January 15, 1997, at the young age of 13. Jesse’s untimely death was a tragedy to all who knew and loved him.

Jesse’s ability to help other young children during his own difficult cancer treatment is a true testament to how thoughtful, generous, mature, and kind Jesse was. Kids Kicking Cancer Canada unfortunately did not exist when Jesse was ill. We think Jesse would be happy to know that the Heroes Circle is available, free of charge, to children.

The cost to register for the 5K is by donation only. This virtual 5K walk/run/move will begin Saturday, September 28th and will end on Saturday, October 12th. You will have two weeks to run, walk, ride or move a 5K. Participants will be responsible for securing a 5K route and for timing their own run or walk. You are welcome to participate with a team or on your own. Your results can be uploaded to this website and you can share your story, photos and more.

Please join us this fall in remembering a wonderful little boy, Jesse McLean, and get active, have fun, and support a vital program that is helping children across Canada.

The Ottawa group will be meeting on Sunday, September 29th at 10 am at Andrew Haydon Park, 3127 Carling Ave in Nepean.