The Roots Podcast

Episode 9 - Talking with Dave Proctor on all things Outrun Rare

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Episode notes

Canadian ultra runner & Guinness world record holder, Dave Proctor was supposed to kick off his TransCanadian speed record attempt in St. John's, Newfoundland on May 18, 2020. A world pandemic has postponed the effort until 2021 but that isn't slowing him down.  Stephanie caught up with Proctor halfway into his run (53 kilometers) to talk about Outrun Rare - an initiative Dave & his wife Sharon founded in 2017 to bring awareness to families in Canada living with rare disease. 

It's personal. Their 11 year old son Sam lives with an extremely rare genetic disease — Relapsing Encephalopathy with Cerebellar Ataxia, or RECA — that compromises his balance and coordination and turns simple movements into a challenge. It took 6 long years to receive a diagnosis. 

Outrun Rare's mission is to create a broad awareness and national conversation amongst the public and policy makers regarding the needs and struggles facing the rare disease community in Canada. To learn more, www.outrunrare.com