Nikolai, founder of Brigada, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu dojo in Montreal, had an idea during a conversation with the parents of one of his young athletes, Étienne, who was diagnosed with leukemia last year.
In a burst of generosity and determination, the Brigade community turned this idea into reality: a jiu-jitsu fighting marathon to raise funds for Leucan, which has been present throughout Étienne’s illness.
42 fights, equivalent to the 42 kilometers of a marathon. This ambitious challenge gave all participants a clear objective, offering them a reason to fight not only on the tatami, but also for a noble cause.
What might have seemed an unlikely mission at the outset turned out to be a challenge taken up with determination by almost 70 participants, exceeding all expectations and demonstrating the deep community spirit that reigns at Brigada.
The commitment of the participants was even supported by an application developed by one of the dojo members, enabling the number of fights to be recorded and thus fuelling everyone’s motivation to persevere to the end.
The Brigada Marathon concluded with a festive evening gathering participants, their families and the entire dojo entourage, to celebrate the resounding success of the initiative: nearly $12,500 raised for Leucan!
