100 MILES FOR LITTLE HEROES
Area firefighter to run for sick kids
When Belle River’s Francois Brule lines up at the start of the Tunnel Hill 100 Mile Run in November, he’ll be facing a gruelling, tough race. But for Brule, his journey pales in comparison to the fight young kids face when diagnosed with childhood cancer.
For that reason, Brule created the Defi 100 Miles for Little Heroes Challenge and has dedicated his 100-mile journey on Nov. 11 in Vienna, Ill., to raising money and awareness for two local childhood cancer groups. He hopes to raise $10,000 to be split between Fight Like Mason Foundation and Kids Beating Cancer - Honourable Little Ninjas (In Honour of the Ones We Love). As Lakeshore Firefighters Association captain, Brule, 53, often deals with young children in various situations.
“I really just wanted to try to help others by running this,” Brule said. “I see those children as heroes.
“They are always looking to first responders as heroes, but for me it’s reverse,” he added. “They always have a smile on their face when they see us. “That’s pretty powerful.” When Brule met Mason Macri, he was inspired by the young boy’s determination and will to fight. Belle River’s Macri died last summer at age 4 after a year-long battle against rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare cancer.
Macri’s parents created the Fight Like Mason Foundation, which raises funds to improve treatment, care, quality of life and awareness of patients diagnosed with childhood rhabdomyosarcoma and other childhood cancers.
He also picked Honourable Little Ninjas, a martial arts based approach to palliative care and pain management for kids battling cancer. It’s an initiative of In Honour of the Ones We Love, a charitable organization that was established in 1998.
“You can be a tough guy all you want but when you see the kids and what they are going through it’s hard for it not to touch your heart,” he said. “Mason was a very strong young man. They all are. Those kids fight pain. They go through numerous surgeries, treatments and they don’t lose hope.”
Donations can be made at Libro Credit Union and Lakeshore Fire Department headquarters, both in Belle River, and at CSC Providence at 7515 Forest Glade Dr. Or contact Brule at brulfran@gmail.com.
Brule is no stranger to longdistance running having completed many distances including a 100-miler a few years ago. He’s been training hard for the last year and is eager to raise money while tackling a daunting distance.
“When people ask me how I can keep moving for 30 hours for this race, I know there’s going to be ups and downs,” he said, “but I guarantee the pain I feel is never going to be comparable to the pain those children go through.
“Their strength is incredible and that’s an inspiration to me.”
Those kids fight pain. They go through numerous surgeries, treatments and they don’t lose hope.