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Kelowna/Vernon run and back raises money and eyebrows for mental health

Lucas Cullen ran 102 km over the weekend to get people talking about mental illness
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Lucas Cullen (Photo of Lucas Cullen (Tommy DeWitt and Dia Klassen/Submitted)

A Kelowna man raised almost $14,000 for the Kids Help Phone after running 102km from Kelowna to Vernon and back over the weekend.

On Saturday, Dec. 10, at 11:11p.m. Lucas Cullen started running along the Rail Trail on his quest to go on an adventure crazy enough to start conversations about mental health, and fundraise for the Kids Help Phone.

He finished just before dinner time on Sunday, Dec. 11.

READ MORE: Kelowna man hopes his run is crazy enough to get people talking about mental health

He completed the run with help from family and friends who helped him on his breaks and shared miles, running alongside him for parts of the journey.

The idea for the project came during a period of darkness, said Cullen.

Cullen said that he was at an all-time low and contemplated taking his own life before being able to resurface, with help from his family and friends.

He wants to use his experience and his love for running to create discussions about how mental illness can impact people’s lives.

Cullen said that the run is a metaphor for mental illness. He ran in the harsh conditions of the winter, through the dark and light.

The Stober Foundation agreed to match all donations, which helped Cullen to surpass his fundraising goal of $10 000.


@Rangers_mom
Jacqueline.Gelineau@kelownacapnews.com

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Jacqueline Gelineau

About the Author: Jacqueline Gelineau

I'm a reporter in the beginning stages of my career. I joined the team at Capital News in November 2021...
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