Assiniboia will be holding its annual Terry Fox Community Run on Sunday, September 17 starting at the 小蓝视频land Co-op parking lot. Registration starts at 1:30 p.m. and the run takes place from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. Participants follow a designated course around town equalling about five kilometres and end back at the parking lot. Everyone is welcome to join and they can run, walk, ride a bike or jog. Last year the event raised $330.
Every year in September, communities across Canada hold a run to remember Terry Fox and to raise funds for cancer research. Back in 1980, Fox had just lost a leg to cancer and he embarked upon an ambitious challenge to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. Nobody had attempted such a feat and he was met with a lot of skepticism.
He started out with little fanfare, dipping his artificial toe into the Atlantic Ocean at St. John鈥檚, Newfoundland, with hopes of reaching the Pacific Ocean.
Fox ran the equivalent of a marathon every day and he gained the attention of the public with each kilometre. After 143 days and 5,373 kilometres, he had to halt his marathon outside of Thunder Bay when cancer spread to his lungs.
Fox broke many barriers. The public was captivated that he had embarked upon such a formidable goal at such a young age of just 21 years old and having lost a leg.
Inspired by Fox鈥檚 courage, Canadians have since completed his Marathon of Hope annually and raised more funds than he had dreamed. His aim was $1 from each Canadian, or $24 million at that time. The first Terry Fox Run was held in September 1981, three months after his passing, with over 300,000 people participating. They raised $3.5 million. By May 2016, the Terry Fox run has raised $715 million for cancer research.
Fox was the youngest recipient of the nation鈥檚 top civilian honour, the Companion of the Order of Canada. He was named Newsmaker of the Year by the Canadian Press and even a mountain was named after him in British Columbia. There are Terry Fox statues across the country such as in Thunder Bay where he ended his run, Ottawa, Vancouver and Saskatoon.
