Seven years have passed since Conner Cain lost his best friend, Sam Jackman, to leukemia.
He thinks of him daily.
To honor Jackman, Cain will participate in the St. Jude Canton to Peoria Run on Saturday. The annual charity event is a 33.3-mile run from Canton, Illinois to Peoria, Illinois. It is one of several community running events that are part of the St. Jude Runs campaign. Money raised will help support families of children fighting cancer at St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.
Jackman, one of three triplet children of Chris and Lisa Jackman, was a student-athlete at North Montgomery High School. During his courageous two-year battle with cancer, he become a “community child” capturing the hearts residents in Montgomery County and beyond. Jackman died Aug. 27, 2017, at the start of what would have been his junior year in high school.
The bond Cain and Jackman had begun when the two were growing up together in Darlington. Later, Cain would spend a lot of time at Jackman’s bedside. He admired the grit Jackman exhibited during his fight with cancer. It was an experience that has left an indelible mark on Cain.
“I want to honor Sam for his spirit and how he never gave up, and I don’t want our community to forget how Sam approached his fight,” Cain said. “I do not want our community to forget what made Sam so special. To this day, he inspires me to do better, and I try to have the same spirit within me.”
Cain plans to run the course with his girlfriend, Alex Chamberlain. She and her mother are from Canton, Illinois and have participated in the event for many years.
The event includes a group of runners who will leave from 33 communities and who all will finish in Peoria, Illinois. One group from Memphis, Tennessee, where St. Jude is based, started their journey to Peoria on Tuesday.
This is the 43rd annual St. Jude Runs. More than $82 million has been raised for cancer-stricken families since 1982.
Cain, who is studying to be a chiropractor in St. Louis, said the money raised goes to the St. Jude families to help them meet expenses.
“The money helps make sure no kid gets turned away for treatment,” he said.
Cain is asking Montgomery County residents to help him raise funds in honor of Jackman. Donations may be made online at www.stjuderuns.org. Search for Conner Cain on the site. Donations will be accepted through the weekend.
