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LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
Siblings Carol Norwegian, Pearl Norwegian and Joey Klein are certain their mother will be watching over them during the next week.

Carol Norwegian, left, her son Mark Ansdell, her sister Pearl Norwegian, her brother Joey Klein and her daughter Shanta Ansdell are all participating in a 125-kilometre cancer walk-a-thon from Inuvik to Tsiigehtchic from Aug. 8 to 12. - Roxanna Thompson/NSSL photo

The siblings, along with Carol's children Mark and Shanta Ansdell, are doing a 125-kilometre walk-a-thon along the Dempster Highway from Inuvik to Tsiigehtchic in memory of their mother Therese Remy-Sawyer, who was also commonly known as Terry Norwegian. The history behind the walk goes back 10 years.

In 2001, Remi-Sawyer's husband Claude Tom Sawyer died as a result of prostate cancer. Carol said her mother wanted to do something in memory of her husband as a way to raise awareness about cancer and the importance of screenings and to raise funds for cancer research.

Remy-Sawyer developed the idea of walking from Tsiigehtchic to Inuvik and Carol organized the event in 2006.

Despite being 67 and having lung cancer, Remy-Sawyer walked 37 km on the first day and went on to cover approximately half of the remaining distance.

Carol walked the entire 125 km. Together they raised $5,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society. After they reached Inuvik, Carol, who's originally from Tsiigehtchic but now lives in Yellowknife, pledged to do the walk every five years.

On Sept. 4, 2010 Remy-Sawyer died as a result of her cancer. From Aug. 8 to 12 Carol, Pearl and Joey will be doing the walk in her memory.

"I want to continue doing it for her," said Pearl.

"I was very proud of her when she did it."

Because it's been a year since Remy-Sawyer died, the goal was to have as many of her five surviving children as possible do the walk, said Pearl. To prepare for covering 25 km a day for five days, Pearl has been walking around Fort Simpson and on the highway.

Pearl said she hasn't tried 25 km at a time yet, but notes that her mother didn't do any training before her walk. Pearl said she'll be drawing strength from thinking about her mother.

"I know she's going to be watching over us kids," said Pearl.

"She's going to be very proud."

Joey, Remy-Sawyer's youngest child, admits he hasn't done any training.

"I think I will take it as it comes," he said.

"I'll leave it to my sisters to push me on."

Joey, who also lives in Fort Simpson, said it's an honour to be able to do this walk in memory of his mother and father.

As a result of being the youngest in the family, Joey said he got to know his mother but not as well as his sisters did. Joey said he's looking forward to learning more about his mother, the things she achieved and his Gwich'in heritage through meeting people during the walk who knew her.

Speaking from experience gathered in the first walk, Carol said covering 125 km isn't difficult.

She only got three blisters the first time and they all formed on the last day when she walked the final mile in her mother's slippers.

The family's final destination in this walk is Remy-Sawyer's gravesite in Tsiigehtchic. Carol said the family once again hopes to raise $5,000. They had reached approximately $3,000 as of July 28.

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