Fast Eddy on final leg

Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer

A B.C. man who ran across Canada and back for a cause close to his heart, made a stop in Penticton on Wednesday.

Fast Eddy was in the city as part of his There and Back journey across Canada, to raise awareness and research funding for breast cancer and Alzheimer's Disease.

"I am in Penticton today as part of the run, just meeting with the mayor for a quick photo and then running toward Oliver, then on to my final stop in Victoria," he said.

Eddy added he wanted to include Penticton because it attracts so many athletes to events like the Challenge triathlon.

The 28-year-old man was inspired to take on the challenge, after his grandmother was affected by Alzheimer's.

Statistics also show there is still a 12 per cent fatality rate with breast cancer and one in three people know someone with Alzheimer's, he said.

He started in Victoria in 2015, travelling across Canada to Cape Spear, N.L., then running all the way back.

The trip, which has been solo and unsupported, ends Oct. 29 in Victoria.

Mayor Andrew Jakubeit, who met with Eddy at city hall, said he was impressed by the effort.

"It's staggering to commit almost two years to raise awareness and not just to believe in a cause but actually go out there and do it," he said. "Actions speak louder than words, and this is a one-man show."

To donate and for more information on Eddy's run go here.