Military veteran goes the extra distance for a good cause

by **Hammercore** Wed 19 Oct 2022, 4:18 pm

Military veteran goes the extra distance for a good cause

Published Oct. 19, 2022

Lieutenant Aaron Niles is marching 30 kilometres in memory of the number of days his little brother was given to live.

Now 13, after fighting infantile acute lymphoblastic leukemia at SickKids hospital for three years, Sean received a life-saving bone marrow transplant from one of two possible donors worldwide.

"He was able to make a miraculous recovery," said Niles, who is also the public affairs officer for 16 Wing at Canadian Forces Base Borden.

Niles said he wanted to do something to help the people he knows who suffer from cancer – when he remembered the significance of those 30 days.

To Niles, the ruck (or hike) is a manifestation of the burden that everyone affected by cancer carries, but it is a burden that can be shared.

He plans on placing the nametags of military members impacted by cancer in the rucksack to help bring the weight of the bag up to 30 pounds.

Together with Warrant Officer Patrick Richer, the Canadian soldiers will walk 30 kilometres from CFB Borden to Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) in Barrie on Wed., Oct. 26.

The public is welcome to join the walk, which will begin at CFB Borden at 8 a.m. Wednesday and arrive at RVH between 2:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.

While he marched for over six hours last year and raised $4,000, Niles has a goal of raising $30,000 this year.

"I was lucky to have him live – not everyone is that fortunate," he said. "I have a calling to give back."

To donate to Ruck for a Cure to support RVH, click here.

CTV News Barrie