On the run to fight cancer
The annual Terry Fox Run took place on Sunday at Quidi Vidi Lake
Hundreds turn out for Terry Fox annual run
Terry Fox was 18 years old when he was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor, and his leg had to be amputated six inches above the knee.
The Marathon of Hope was born when Fox decided that he would not sit in sorrow, instead, he would run across Canada to raise money for cancer research.
Fox began his run in St. John’s at the east end of Water Street.
Debbie Curtis, chair of the Mile 0 St. John’s Run Committee, says that the people in Newfoundland have a special connection with the Terry Fox Run.
“The Fox family has been to Newfoundland several times,” said Curtis. “I believe that really keeps the connection alive.”
Curtis has been participating in the run for the past 25 years, and on the Mile 0 St. John’s Run Committee for 10 years.
“We have the best committee, most of the members have been volunteering for many years,” said Curtis. “We’re like a well-oiled machine at this point.”
Trudy Power is one of those volunteers. She began volunteering in 2010, after winning her battle with breast cancer.
“I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007,” said Power. “And then shortly after in 2009, my husband was diagnosed with cancer.”
Power and her husband are both cancer survivors, who now spend their time volunteering with the run, and are a part of “Terry’s Team.”
“When you register for the run, if you are a cancer survivor you are given a red T-shirt, which means you are a part of Terry’s Team,” said Power. “It’s really encouraging, because every year I am seeing more and more red shirts, so we know that cancer research is headed in the right direction.”
When Power and her husband aren’t volunteering, they are travelling the world, but they never forget their ‘Terry’s Team’ shirts.
“Two years ago we were in Cape Town, in South Africa, in September,” said Power. “We found a run on the Terry Fox run day, and it just so happened to be a marathon for peace.”
“We ran with 10,000 other people that morning, while wearing our Terry Fox shirts,” said Power. “We had lots of people coming up to us asking questions about Terry Fox. So I think we taught a lot of people about him on that day.”
Curtis told The Telegram that the committee tries to add something new to the run every year.
“This year we have made a cut out of a replica of Terry’s van, that he used during the
“When you register for the run, if you are a cancer survivor you are given a red T-shirt, which means you are a part of Terry’s Team. It’s really encouraging, because every year I am seeing more and more red shirts, so we know that cancer research is headed in the right direction.” Trudy Power, breast cancer survivor
Marathon of Hope,” said Curtis. “It will be great for anybody who would like to pose for a picture.”
Michelle Healey and her grandson John Healey also took part in Sunday’s run.
“He learned about Terry Fox in school, and he wanted to find a way to help,” said Michelle. “I told him that it was the same kind of cancer that his pop had. We only registered yesterday, he raised money very quickly.”