Father and Son Run Boston for Health

A father and son team from Cape Sable Island, Nova Scotia is tackling the world’s most famous marathon to raise money for the Yarmouth Hospital Foundation’s new endowment program. Their goal is to complete the 26.2-mile Boston Marathon, the first father-son duo from Nova Scotia to do so, and raise $26,200 for the foundation.

Adlai Cunningham from Newellton, Cape Sable Island, and his son Kerry, who now lives in Toronto, will be running the prestigious event on April 21. The Cunninghams understand how important it is to support health care. Ten years ago Kerry was hospitalized after suffering a life-threatening brain aneurism. Thanks to prompt intervention by top notch professionals he made a full recovery. Adlai has been a member of the board of directors of the Yarmouth Hospital Foundation for the past five years and has seen firsthand how community support can enhance health care services in the region.

Mark Muise, Vice Chair of the Yarmouth Hospital Foundation and Chair of the Gift Planning program, applauds the efforts of the Cunninghams.

“Entering the Boston Marathon with the aim of drawing the community together to support health care services at our regional health centre demonstrates a commitment beyond a passion for the sport of running,” says Muise.

The father-son team acknowledges that, for the most part, the first line of health care is a personal responsibility and chose running as their sport to enhance and maintain their health. Adlai has been running for eight years and Kerry began three years ago.

The idea to run Boston, the most famous road race in the world, came about in December 2006. After setting their sights on Boston, Adlai and Kerry later discovered that no father and son team from Nova Scotia had ever run the event together.

On Sept. 30, 2007 they qualified for Boston during the Toronto Waterfront Marathon. Kerry, finished in three hours and nine minutes and Adlai finished in 3:23, beating the qualifying time by one minute and 12 minutes respectively.

After qualifying for the Boston Marathon, they saw the opportunity to draw attention to the benefits of a healthy lifestyle while raising funds to strengthen the region’s health-care centre.

With a renewed sense of purpose, Adlai and Kerry began training for the 26.2-mile run in December and set a fundraising target of $26,200 for the foundation’s endowment program. To reach this goal they are seeking out the support of businesses, community groups and individuals.

To support Adlai and Kerry’s Run For Health please contact Adlai Cunningham at 745-2925 or the Yarmouth Hospital Foundation at 749-1669.