聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 The annual Kenosee Lake Terry Fox Run was hosted on Sunday, Sept. 18. People from Kipling to Carlyle met at Club 19 in the Moose Mountain Provincial Park to participate in the event.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 It鈥檚 been 36 years since Terry Fox began his Marathon of Hope. For the past 15 years at Kenosee the Run has been organized by Jackie Doty, but at the end of last year she passed the responsibility on to sisters: Julie and Shelby Adams.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭he first year [for Shelby and I organizing] went great,鈥� Julie said. 鈥淲e had big shoes to fill as Jackie Doty has done an incredible job for the past number of years; however, I feel, Shelby and I made her proud and we were able to put everything together for another successful Terry Fox Run in Kenosee.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 They have been participating in the run for years, since they were toddlers when Joan and Mickey Adams, their parents, would take them out on the walk, but they also like to see the community come together in order to show support for cancer patients and raise funds for cancer research.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e were honoured that Jackie asked us to take over, and we will gladly continue to do it for years to come,鈥� Julie said, while adding, 鈥淭he run is very important to Shelby and I because what Terry Fox did for himself and Canada makes him a hero in our eyes. We have always been raised to respect what he did and we feel, that even though he is gone, his legacy should be carried on for years to come and never be forgotten. It is also an honour to be organizing the run in Kenosee as my mother, Joan Adams, was very close with Terry Fox鈥檚 family and even attended his funeral. She often talks to us about his family, him and how amazing his funeral was. And for Shelby and I to now, years later, be organizing his run, it鈥檚 a pretty great feeling!鈥�
The Kenosee Lake Terry Fox Run brought together 33 individuals who raised approximately $2,000 by the run date, however, more donations continued to be given following the run.
鈥淭here were a few minor hiccoughs, but that鈥檚 part of being brand new鈥︹�� Shelby stated, 鈥淧eople are always very helpful and understanding, so the participants made it a very enjoyable experience for Julie and I.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Terry Fox was born in Winnipeg and raised in Port Coquitlam, BC. He was a very active teenager, but at 18-years-old he was diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma and in 1977 his right leg was amputated. It was while he was recovering that he became aware of the number of children battling cancer and decided that he would run across Canada to raise money for cancer research.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 He embarked on his Marathon of Hope after 18 months of training 鈥� running over 5,000 km in preparation. On April 12, 1980 he left St. John鈥檚, NFLD, and as he ran he bolstered more and more attention from the nation. Running approximately 42 km per day he made it through Canada鈥檚 Atlantic provinces, through Quebec, and into Ontario. On Sept. 1st, however, after 143 days and 5,373 km, he had to stop. He was outside Thunder Bay, ON, and something just wasn鈥檛 right. Taken to the hospital it was discovered that cancer had developed in his lungs.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 On June 28, 1981, at 22-years-old, Fox passed away. His efforts, however, would be remembered and his legacy was already embedded in the Canadian identity.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The Terry Fox Run is held, not only across Canada now, but around the world. The inspirational young man continues to be remembered and honoured through the annual Terry Fox Run. To date the Terry Fox Foundation has reported $650 million raised worldwide in Fox鈥檚 name for cancer research through the Run.
