For family, friends and Fox: Over 1,500 participate in 2014 Calgary Terry Fox Run
Posted Sep 14, 2014 1:02 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
From cancer survivors to those who have lost family and friends, to those running for the very first time, 1,535 participants converged on Eau Claire Market Sunday morning for the 2014 Terry Fox Run.
Another event took place in McKenzie Towne for the annual event, which last year raised $150,000 for cancer research.
As of Sunday afternoon, over $110,000 had been raised,but that doesn’t count online donations which will be added in later.
This year’s event happens shortly after news that the cancer that took Fox’s life would today be very curable, something top of mind for spokesperson Anna Dabrowsky.
She was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia at 16 years old.
“That’s really what everyone should know is just that their money is actually going toward something,” she said. “My own cancer 30 years ago, my survival rate would’ve been 20 to 30 per cent, today it’s 80 to 90.”
The advances also strike a cord with Teresa McCallum whose mother died of an aggressive cancer the same year Fox started his run.
“I know today if the research dollars had been there, her cancer would’ve been curable, I have two friends who survived, so it’s massive and I think because of the research, that’s why most of us are out there,” she said.
For many the loss of life is still very fresh, like Peter Thompson who lost his uncle just last week to the disease.
Fighting through tears, he said this run is for Keith.
“I haven’t been out on the Terry Fox Run in a while, so what better time than this to come out and remember all the happy moments and he’s gone to a very peaceful place and I’m really happy to be here,” he said.
Along with the family connections, some runners like Steve Parsons were taking part for the first time.
He also holds Fox in the highest regard.
“Terry Fox to me is the greatest Canadian hero, hands down, no one’s even close,” he said. “His determination before it was cool, what he did was remarkable, so I got in a mood this year to get in shape and run and I targeted this run as something I’m going to do.”
