Nova Scotia/Nunavut Command of The Royal Canadian Legion www.ns.legion.ca 69 Cpl (Ret’d) Kate MacEachern continued ... During her first walk, she covered 580 kilometers between Nova Scotia and CFB Gagetown, in uniform, carrying her 50pound bag. She did this to raise money for “Soldier On”, an organization that contributes to the recovery of ill and injured CanadianArmed Forces (CAF) members and Veterans by providing opportunities and resources through sport, recreational, and creative activities. “It was the most brutal physical thing I’ve ever done. You look at a map, you think 580 kilometers, it’s not that bad. But within 125 kilometers, you could see bones in my feet, because I had blistered that bad. These walks brought so much attention to PTSD, and the outpouring of support prompted everyone involved to do it again.” Kate continued these walks even after she left the CAF. Four years later, in 2014, her son Tyler, now 11 years old, insisted on accompanying Kate on her last walk. Despite suffering through his own feet blistering, Tyler soldiered on and walked all the way by her side, fromAlberta to Saskatchewan. “He was old enough now to understand what we were doing. He’d seen the progression and regression of PTSD, living with his mom.” Today at 17, Tyler is a Warrant with the Cadets. He talks to youth, translating the language of adults to children who may not quite understand what their parents are going through when dealing with PTSD. Kate continues to volunteer and has raised over $100,000 for 11 different charities. She’s also a Cadet instructor. With courage, integrity and loyalty, Kate MacEachern has left her mark. She is one of our Canadian Veterans. Kate MacEachern and her son Tyler both receive awards for their volunteer involvements. They are pictured with Antigonish MP Sean Fraser.
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