It’s been 36 years since Terry Fox began his Marathon of Hope to raise money for cancer research with the hope it will one day lead to a cure.
“I think Terry is the embodiment of what a true Canadian should be. He’s passionate, driven and selfless. At the end of the day his message wasn’t about himself, it was about a greater good,” said event co-chair Michael Stang.
Each year Terry’s legacy brings out hundreds to Kiwanis Park in Saskatoon. Many run to remember a loved one who lost their battle with cancer, like Bill Reilly who runs in memory of his mom.
READ MORE: Legacy of Winnipeg’s very own Terry Fox carried on at 36th annual run
“It’s a way to bring family and friends together for a good cause. It’s one of the ways to fight back and bring hope to what’s normally a pretty sad situation,” said Bill Reilly.
Others are out to celebrate those who’ve survived and bring strength to those currently fighting, including Chad Sawatzky who is a cancer survivor with a six-year-old son who was also recently diagnosed.
“It just didn’t feel right, he didn’t seem like the Benjamin we know so we brought him in and they found he had brain cancer,” Sawatzky explained.
Ben spent 80 days in the hospital and is now recovering from treatment much faster than his dad can believe.
“Three months ago he was lying in a bed like a newborn, could barely move, could barely speak, wasn’t feeding on his own and yesterday he was out riding his bike,” Sawatzky said.
Organizers say Sunday’s run raised almost $39,000. To date, the Terry Fox Foundation has raised around $690 million globally toward cancer research.
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