AT H L E T E W I T H I M PAC T
FIGHTING FOR A PURPOSE
Inspired by her son Eamonn’s courageous battle with leukemia, athlete Jen Millar is drawing on her inner strength by staying positive, while supporting fundraising efforts for childhood cancer BY SCOTT CRUICKSHANK
BRETT CLARKE, JAY WALLACE
Scott is a writer from Calgary, AB covering all levels of sport for 35 years for websites and magazines all over Canada SCOTTCRUICKSHANK.BSKY.SOCIAL
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hile striving to become an elite triathlete, Jen Millar ran cross country for Queen’s University. Talented and tenacious, she also raced on behalf of the school’s varsity swimming team. Her athletic bona fides are undeniable. As is the depth of her determination. In 2014—after the onset of May-Thurner Syndrome and the removal of a 40-centimetre blood clot—she was told she’d never run again. Guess who won the women’s crown at the 2022 Times Colonist 10K in Victoria? Guess who rattled off women’s masters titles at the Canadian Cross Country Championships in 2021, 2022 and 2023? Now, grinding through an unimaginably heavy ordeal, Millar has marshalled her well-honed attributes—resilience and discipline, positive thinking and goal setting—and applied them to real life. Two years ago, her son Eamonn had been diagnosed with highrisk acute lymphoblastic leukemia, an aggressive cancer. For the Victoria-based family, which includes husband Trevor and daughter Charlie, it’s become a challenge like no other. Which is why repurposing her athletic assets makes sense. “Those characteristics, you really need them,” she says. “It’s knowing you can do hard things. It’s carrying the mental load through physical fatigue, just to keep going. Even in training, it’s all about the journey and process. If we can make this journey and process about fighting cancer with Eamonn, about supporting him, his outcomes will be positive and strong.” The unflinchingly sturdy mindset is paying off—for everyone. Because community, for the Millars, matters. Teamwork is no small part of their mission. Incredibly—in the midst of treatments, transfusions, serious setbacks and “numerous curveballs”— family members, including Eamonn, now 12, are giving back. They have pledged to make a difference.
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For instance, Millar is committed to cycling in the End2End Cancer Relay, a Victoria to Port Hardy return trip, June 16 - 18. Four two-person teams take turns tackling the 1,000 kilometres: pedalling 50 kilometres, getting 150 kilometres’ worth of rest, repeating. The inaugural event raised $110,000 for the Island Kids Cancer Association. This year’s target is $150,000. The family’s contributions go beyond seat time. For End2End Cancer Relay participants in 2025 and 2026, Eamonn—in collaboration with Outway athletic apparel—designed the socks. The event’s cycling jerseys also feature his stylish artwork. These colourful creations, which have raised $20,000, are available online. “You see his socks in the hospital on all the nurses, in the grocery store on random strangers,” says Millar, chuckling. “The first days of Grade 6, he’s like, ‘Mom, three kids in my class were wearing my socks and I don’t even know them.’” Eamonn is also lending his artistic touch to dog collars and leashes for RC Pets, with proceeds going to the B.C. Children’s Hospital’s Pet Therapy Program. And, with the support of a Changemaker grant from A Million Acts of Love Foundation, he is curating a book filled with the jokes he received daily from classmates while he was away from school during Grades 4 and 5. That volume, with his illustrations, will be published. Another initiative? “Blood parties.” Inspired by what she witnessed in hospital hallways—“All these little warriors with their bags of blood products”—Millar visited the local Canadian Blood Services branch. There, she saw the University of Victoria men’s hockey players making donations. Stoked by the group approach and knowing that Eamonn has so far required 28 transfusions, Millar appealed to her social media followers. Team Eamonn was formed, attracting 100 members who, on a regular basis, roll up their sleeves.