Sunday was declared "Marathon of Health Day" in Ottawa as a local family continues their fundraising run across the continent.

The Chicoine family from Wakefield reached the city on Friday and made an appearance at City Hall Sunday.

Their "Marathon of Health" has taken them from a May start in Vancouver to the nation's capital to promote what they call ‘well-care" and children's fitness.

"The instances of obesity, degenerative diseases – the majority are related to poor lifestyle choices and we just need to shift our way of thinking," said Ed Chicoine. "We could prevent so many problems and save billions and billions in this country."

From here, the family will head to New Brunswick then into the United States, with a goal of being back in Vancouver in February.

The run is raising money for Kidsport, Right to Play and the Get America Fit Foundation.

With a report by CTV Ottawa's Karen Soloman