CANTON -- For the month of December, North Country residents are strapping on their pedometers and fitness trackers to raise money for local cancer patients and promote healthy lives.

The event, which is held in honor of Canton Resident Bruce Thompson who died in October after a 10-year battle with brain cancer, is to encourage walking for fitness and to also as a fundraiser for the Patient Navigation Program of the Center for Cancer Care at Canton-Potsdam Hospital.

Participants are asking donors to pledge a quarter or more for every mile they walk in the month of December. Flat donations are also accepted and 50/50 raffle tickets are available for sale. All proceeds go directly to North Country families.

The Patient Navigation Program provides logistical and financial support for North Country cancer victims, survivors, and their families. More specifically, the program assists with support groups, therapy, referrals, wading through the health care system and insurance questions, and with helping patients travel long distances for treatment.

Bruce Thompson was a husband and father who fought brain cancer for over ten years with grace, humor, and quiet dignity before passing away in October. Throughout his struggle, the Patient Navigation Program at the Center for Cancer Care of Canton-Potsdam Hospital helped his family deal with the staggering costs and difficulties of having to travel long distances to larger cities for care.

To donate, to walk, or for more info, visit www.Facebook.com/BruceThompsonMemorial.