The Terry Fox Run will be virtual this year.
Terry Fox’s brother and Manager of Supporter Relations with the Terry Fox Organization, Fred Fox, spoke with myFM News.
He says their plans were thrown out the window due to COVID-19, and that forced them to think fast.
In 1980, Terry Fox ran a marathon a day, 42.195 kilometres or 26 miles, for 143 days and 5,373 kilometres (3,339 miles) total. He began on April 12th, when he dipped his right leg in the Atlantic Ocean near St John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. While the goal was to reach the Pacific Ocean, Fox was forced to quit the Marathon of Hope in Thunder Bay, Ontario on September 1st after his cancer had returned and spread to his lungs. He died less than a year later.
The Terry Fox Run became an annual tradition in Canada in 1981.
Traditionally, the Terry Fox Run is one of the first focuses of the school year and is a major event across the country. With the COVID-19 pandemic ongoing, gone are the days of gathering in groups of hundreds of people at the local track. Fox says there’s nothing stopping you from trekking your neighbourhood.
Terry Fox continues to be a Canadian icon and national hero. Part of his trademark look during the Marathon of Hope was his Adidas running shoes. The Terry Fox Organization recently teamed up with Adidas Canada to create limited edition shoes with proceeds going to cancer research. This year is the 40th anniversary of Terry’s famous run, and with that came a special shoe. Fox talks about how that is going.
Adidas Canada is looking to raise $1 million for cancer research through sales of the shoes and Terry Fox t-shirts. As of writing, the company is currently at about $500,000.
As we collectively fight our way through a global pandemic, the story of Terry Fox has never been more fitting. Here is a man, barely into his 20’s, that was battling osteosarcoma. He decided that, despite the pain and hard work necessary to do so, he would fight on in order to do what he could to find a cure. Fox speaks on his brother and the work that Terry put in to do his part to help save lives.
The Terry Fox Run has become an established part of Canadian culture thanks to the work done by schools and school boards across the country. As we go back to school, and with the event being done virtually this year, it’s unclear if the Terry Fox Run will have a focus in the classroom in 2020. Fox says that, as far as he knows, schools are still looking to do what they can to make this year happen.
The Terry Fox Run begins on Monday, September 20th. You can walk or run by yourself, or within your own personal bubble, to raise funds for cancer research. Track your information and donations online. All you need to do is sign-up and register. Click here for more!
