The annual TERRY FOX RUN is coming up on Sunday, September 15th not only here in Thunder Bay and across Canada, but…around the world. 600 communities across Canada are part of it this year. Almost 3.6 million Canadians will run, walk, ride, wheel or skate. For Thunder Bay, registration starts at 1pm, and will start and end at the Current River Rec Centre. Go to TerryFox.org for full details / and registration info. This is all to raise money for cancer research thru the Terry Fox Foundation.
Nearly 2 in 5 Canadians will face Cancer in their lifetime.
Terry was from Port Coquitlam, B.C. He was diagnosed with a type of cancer that was just above his right knee, which eventually had to have it amputated. He then, had a plan / a path…that pretty much changed the world. The Marathon Of Hope. Terry wanted to run across this beautiful country of ours and raise money for Cancer. He simply asked if every Canadian could just donate $1….which (at the time) would ultimately raise about $25 million.
He started on April 12th, 1980 when he dipped his artificial leg into the Atlantic Ocean. His goal was to reach the West Coast. Cancer returned to his lungs and that forced him to stop his run on September 1st, 1980 just outside of Thunder Bay. He ran over 5,300 km. Terry died in June of 1981.
This run has raised over $900 million for cancer research.
If you have some time, click the line below – it’s full of info about Terry’s life / his legacy / what he did / an interactive map of the km’s he ran / where he went / and of course his last stop – just outside of our city.
He was, and will always remain a hero to so many people….not just in Canada, but globally.
