At 101 years old, Joy Saunders of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia has seen and experienced more than most people know.

Saunders, a mother of 8, two daughters and six sons, has been through World War II, The Great Depression in the 1930s, and now the COVID 19 pandemic.

After watching Captain Tom Moore, a 100-year-old WWII veteran from the UK walk to raise funds for the National Health Services, she decided to do something similar. 

Joy Saunders plans to walk her .8 kilometre walk 102 times before her 102nd birthday in October to raise funds for the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON).  

Joy was a 30-year volunteer with VON and is dedicating her walking fundraiser to Kristen Beaton and Heather O’Brien, two VON employees who were lost in the tragedy that shocked Nova Scotia on April 19, 2020.

Although Saunders has hit a bump in the road after taking a fall in late May and suffering numerous injuries, including a broken arm, she says she will get back up and complete her task.

Within 36 hours of announcing her walk, Saunders raised $25,000. To date, Joy has raised over $63,000 and the number keeps rising. 

Today on Connections she will share her story and her inspiration for her walk.