It was a morning of mixed emotions as runners and walkers honoured Canadian icon Terry Fox. It’s been 37 years since the young man set off on his Marathon of Hope.
Nearly 40 years later, runners like Joel Forsythe keep Fox’s mission alive. Joel, along with around 50 friends and family members, ran in memory of his father Tom.
The group wore matching camouflage shirts to honour the avid hunter, who was diagnosed with advanced bowel cancer and passed away in June.
“We got a short amount of time with him, but it was a very powerful time with him,” Joel said.
“It’s sad to say goodbye, but I feel like he’s with me today.”
Tom is the latest person Joel runs for. He’s been taking part in the Terry Fox run for five years, previously running in memory of his grandparents.
He’s deeply touched by how many people are running on Team Forsythe.
“You get to see all the lives that my father touched. That people take the time out of their day, and take the time to participate in something like Terry Fox, go grad donations and support a good cause,” Joel said.
Young Torin Farrow is another fundraiser. Leading up to the run, he collected $100 in donations from his neighbours in memory of his aunt, Max.
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Farrow said she passed away just before Christmas last year.
“I just wanted to raise money to do research for cancer because I don’t want to have other people have relatives pass away like I did,” he said.
The run has a deep meaning for all taking part. Jade Gritzfeld is a member of Terry’s Team, a group of cancer survivors who act as ambassadors for the Terry Fox Foundation.
She remembers watching the news coverage of Fox’s marathon when she was in high school and developed a deeper connection when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005.
“On the 25th anniversary of his run is when I was going through chemo treatment and you’re weakened, you’re tired and it really was emotional for me to watch that story of him going through cancer and having to stop his journey while I was going through chemo,” she said.
Shortly after that, Gritzfeld began to volunteer for the run. Now she brings her smiling face and upbeat attitude to the event that helps create a positive sense of community where everyone has gone through pain.
“When you’re going through cancer you can make a choice on how you want to deal with it,” Gritzfeld said.
“There is ugliness, there is sadness, but there is also beauty and joy, and I chose to focus on beauty and joy.”
Regina’s Terry Fox run usually raises between $30,000 and $40,000 for cancer research annually. Gritzfeld said it will likely be closer to the end of the month before 2017’s fundraising total is finalized because the schools still have to do their runs.
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