The 43rd Terry Fox Run is Being Held Around Our Region this Sunday, Sept. 17th

Brockville – The 43rd annual Terry Fox Run is happening this Sunday, September 17th around our region.

There are six communities in our region holding Terry Fox runs, Brockville, Prescott, Gananoque, Lansdowne, North Grenville, Delta and Elgin.

This year’s theme is ‘Dear Terry’, You can sign postcards to go to the Terry Fox Foundation. Terry holds the record for most letters and postcards sent to one person in Canada.

From the Terry Fox Foundation:

“On April 12, 1980, Terry started his Marathon of Hope. When he stopped running, you started writing. This September 17, we continue the annual Terry Fox Run surrounded by messages of love, hope and inspiration from Canadians everywhere.”

Terry Fox lost his leg to osteogenic sarcoma at age 18, underwent 16 months of treatment and found he could not ignore the suffering he witnessed in the cancer wards.

Terry decided to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research in a Marathon of Hope. He wasn’t doing the run to become famous; he wanted to create change and fund a cure for all cancers. Terry ran close to 42 kilometres (26 miles) a day through Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario.

He ran through snow, rain, wind, heat, and humidity. He stopped in more than 400 towns, schools and cities to talk about why he was running. He started at 4:30 am in the morning and often did not finish his last mile until 7 pm at night. Sometimes Terry and Doug, his best friend and driver, would sleep in the van because they could not afford a place to stay.

Some days hundreds of people cheered him on; other days he was alone on the road, and no money was raised. But Terry never gave up hope that Canadians would respond to his story, to his effort…and he was right. Terry entered Ontario on June 28th the whole country was cheering him on and donating to cancer research. Canadians saw that Terry’s try was unlimited.

On September 1st, after 143 days and 5,373 kilometres (3,339 miles), Terry was forced to stop running outside of Thunder Bay, Ontario. The only thing that could have stopped him, did: cancer had appeared in his lungs. Even from Terry’s hospital bed, he continued to talk about the importance of donating to cancer research. He asked Canadians to continue to support his Marathon of Hope; he hoped his second diagnosis would help everyone understand that cancer could happen to anyone, even someone who had just raised over $1.7 million for research.

Before, Terry had achieved his once unimaginable goal of $1 from every Canadian. Terry died on June 28, 1981, at the age of 22. This bold and courageous Canadian was gone, but his legacy was just beginning. To date, over $850 million has been raised for cancer research in Terry’s name through the annual Terry Fox Run, held across Canada and around the world.

Brockville Terry Fox Run:

Registration: 12:00 pm
Start: 1:00 pm
Location: Thousand Islands Secondary School Track – 2510 Parkedale Avenue
Route: TISS track to Parkedale, then east on Parkedale to the Brock Trail by the Brockville Police station, then north on the Brock Trail to Laurier then west on Laurier to Windsor Drive then south on Windser back to the TISS track.

Gananoque:
Registration: 9:00 am
Start: 10:00 am
Location: Gananoque Town Hall, 30 King Street East

Prescott:

Distance: 3 km loop
Registration: 10:30 am
Time Start to Close: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
Location: The Kinsmen Club of Prescott Pavilion at the Marina

Lansdowne:

Registration: 8:00 am
Start: 9:00 am
Location: Rockport Recreation Hall, 115 Escott Road in Mallorytown
Distance: 10 km

Kemptville:

Registration: 9:00 am
Start: 10:00 am
Location: St. Michael race track located behind St. Michael Catholic High School on Hwy 43

Delta:

Registration: 8:00 am
Time Start to Close: 8:00 am – 2:00 pm
Location: Delta Fairgrounds, King St. & Millcreek Dr.

Elgin:

Elgin is hosting a virtual run.