On September 1, 1980, Terry Fox was forced to end his Marathon of Hope to raise funds for cancer research, as his own cancer had returned. At the time, the 22-year-old amputee had run from the coast of Newfoundland to Thunder Bay, Ontario, and was 3,000 kilometres away from his final destination on the BC coast. This year, in honour of the 40th anniversary of Terry’s run, Trinity College School students are endeavouring to complete those 3,000 kilometres and “bring Terry home.”
With no traditional Terry Fox Run this year due to COVID-19 restrictions, TCS run organizers had to think outside the box to come up with a plan to safely honour Terry’s legacy. The Terry Fox Foundation issued the “What’s Your 40?” challenge and TCS responded!
On October 7th, Senior School students and faculty took part in their Terry Fox Run. Within their small advisor groups, students in Grades 9 through 12 each ran 3.2 km, starting at various locations around campus. Their totals will be added to the Junior School’s kilometres which are being accumulated through a series of activities from September 29th to October 13th. The anticipated total is already at 4,000 km!
Many students sported Terry Fox Run t-shirts during their run; thanks to the initiative of Grade 11 student Emma Olazabal Salgado, the School raised $2,000 for the Terry Fox Foundation through t-shirt sales.
In conjunction with Wednesday’s run, Senior School students met with their advisors to learn more about Terry Fox and his inspiring cross-Canada run 40 years ago. Diagnosed with cancer, Terry’s leg was amputated when he was 18 years old. The night of his surgery, he began to dream of running across Canada to raise funds for cancer research. Four years later, on April 12, 1980, he dipped his prosthetic leg in the Atlantic Ocean and began the Marathon of Hope. Even when the spread of his cancer caused him to suspend the run, Terry’s inspiration had taken hold throughout Canada and internationally. His original goal of raising $1 million to find a cure for cancer was far exceeded. Terry died on June 28, 1981. That fall, the first Terry Fox Run raised $3.5 million, and over the past 40 years more than $750 million has been raised by runs in Terry’s name. And significant advancements in cancer research and treatments have been achieved as a result of this funding. Simply put, Terry’s legacy is saving lives.
You can help us support the Terry Fox Foundation and Terry’s dream of a world without cancer. Make a donation online at http://www.terryfox.ca/TrinityCollegePortHope (the Senior School deadline for fundraising is October 16th). Help us envision an end to cancer!
