The selfless dedication and bravery of Terry Fox will be remembered in hundreds of cities and towns across Canada on Sunday (Sept. 15), including several sites in Surrey and Delta.
The 44th annual Terry Fox Run will build on the Marathon of Hope hero's dream of a world without cancer by raising funds for cancer research through the Terry Fox Foundation, which has raised more than $900 million since the early 1980s.
Longtime volunteer Doug Brewer will be among the estimated 3.6 million Canadians to participate in the annual fundraiser, either with their local community or school.
"It's just a good thing to do, and of course Terry Fox absolutely grabbed everybody's attention back in 1981 and has kept it ever since, I think," said Brewer, co-chair (with Kathy Dinning) of the South Surrey/White Rock event, held at South Surrey Athletic Park.
"Recently, about five years ago," Brewer added, "my adult daughter came down with thyroid cancer and she's been in treatment. All is well, she's had surgery and tremendous treatments since, so there is a personal connection as well, a very close personal connection for me, and I think a large portion of the population can claim that as well. Cancer is in the family somewhere or with good friends, so this is a very easy charity to get involved in."
Locally, Terry Fox Runs are held in South Surrey/White Rock, Fraser Heights, Fleetwood Park, SFU Surrey and North Delta. Details are posted on terryfox.org/run.
For a second year, Terry Fox Run participants will wear limited-edition #NoMatterWhat T-shirts launched with the social-media help of Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds.
Brewer said the event is an important one on his calendar every year.
"It's surprising how emotional it is, and people benefit from that," he said.
"Otherwise you can always donate and buy a T-shirt online and support the event that way," Brewer added. "We attract a small crowd, and ours is very family-friendly with kids and dogs and strollers. It's not a race, of course, and we usually have a guest speaker or two at the beginning, share a few memories of what Terry means to us. We have a pretty good base of online registrants. What's great is that all the elementary schools and high schools have an awareness of the run and they quite often do their own run, too."
Fox Run fundraising recently helped Terry Fox Research Institute (TFRI) launch the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network (MOHCCN), a collective of 35 of the country's top cancer hospitals, research universities and health authorities to accelerate precision oncology.
All proceeds support "bold, extraordinary research across the country to end cancer," according to a news release from Terry Fox Foundation. "Participants are welcome to walk, run, blade, skate or wheel to participate in this iconic Canadian tradition and help raise funds for cancer research."
