Hi my name is Sebastian and I am running the Toronto Marathon on May 03 2026 in honour of my friend Jen who passed away from cancer last year. I am raising money to donate to "The Redwood Women's Shelter" in her memory.

I met Jen in 2024, at a time when I was starting a new job and feeling unsure of my footing. From the first days, she made the job feel less scary. She welcomed me, made me feel safe, and helped turn the unfamiliar into something I could grow into.

Our friendship may not have been long, but it burned bright like stardust. The kind of connection that stays with you long after. For two years, we shared long drives to conventions, rallies, and union meetings. Along the way, she became my mentor, showing me that change doesn’t have to be frightening and that standing up for what matters can be done with courage, humour, and heart.

She was political in the truest sense: deeply invested in fairness, justice, and making things better for others. It’s impossible to talk about Jen without acknowledging that part of her. Even now, I catch myself at rallies scanning the crowd, looking for her face behind our union flag.

I struggle to say that cancer “took” Jen. It feels more honest to say she was failed by a system that is broken, by a healthcare system that didn’t do enough. Jen believed systems could change and should. Remembering her means naming that truth, even when it’s uncomfortable.

We had planned to run a 5K together this year. Instead, I’m running a marathon in her memory. Every kilometre is for Jen. Every mile is a promise that she is not forgotten. I know she’ll be with me at every step, cheering me on the way she always did strong, determined, and full of heart.