Nine days. Ten London-area secondary schools. ONERUN.

During the next two weeks, teams of staff and students at ten area secondary schools will hit the track to raise money for local patients battling cancer.

“With the help of over 6,000 local students participating, we let cancer patients know that we are there for them every step of the way,” OneRun organizer and founder Theresa Carriere said in a statement.

“Together, we continue to fight.”

Danielle Lanooy of Central secondary school, front, is backed up by schoolmates Julianna Mereu, left, Rachel Almaw and Yen Duong in a tug of war at the OneRun event hosted by Westminster secondary school Monday. With perfect weather, the event drew hundreds of students from Westminster, Central and some elementary schools including Byron Somerset, who formed teams of 10 people each to run 100 km on the track to raise funds for cancer research. OneRun was started in 2010 with cancer survivor Theresa Carriere running from Sarnia to London to raise funds and awareness, and now 10 secondary school events continue the drive. Mike Hensen/The London Free Press

Carriere, a breast cancer survivor, started the run in 2010 by trekking 100 kilometres in 24 hours.

Now, nearly a decade later, high school students will mirror her journey by running 100 kilometres around their outdoor track in a single school day.

OneRun kicked off Monday morning at Westminster secondary school. The run will come to nine other secondary schools until it wraps up May 18 at John Paul II in London.

Money raised from the run will support cancer patient programs at local hospitals and ones offered by Wellspring London and Region.

The annual run has raised more than $900,000 since it began in 2010. Organizers are hoping to crack the $1 million mark after this year’s event.

Originally published on the London Free Press by Free Press Staff.

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