patrick 4 life 2Students have begun their quest to run a marathon in the name of Patrick Fortin.

Fortin died in 2001 after contracting HIV when he was 7 through tainted blood, but his legacy lives on through the Patrick 4 Life program.

Students will run 42-kilometers over a 10 week period, wrapping up with the Day of Champions in June.

Bob Sampson is the Executive Director of the program and says today’s (Tuesday) kickoff at E.W. Norman Public School is a significant event as it introduces new students to the program.

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He adds the program itself is expanding beyond North Bay’s borders.

He says “our program is being extended to other northern school boards, as well as first nation’s communities on the James Bay coast.”

Sampson says their mission is to introduce an HIV/Aids education awareness program to every school in the province.

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Students who participate learn how to make healthy lifestyle choices and they have over 2000 students in the area signing up for the program.