Among the hundreds of people at the Terry Fox Run on Sunday in Saskatoon, the people wearing red shirts have a particularly important reason for being there.
They are cancer survivors.
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Wayne Dyck is one of them, having survived cancer twice. He said Terry Fox is one of his inspirations.
“In my mind, he’s a hero and he’s a person that continues to inspire,” Dyck said.
At the age of 60, Dyck cycled across Canada to raise funds for the Children’s Hospital Foundation.
Fox began his journey in 1980 and ran close to 42 kilometres per day. However, after 143 days, Fox stopped near Thunder Bay, Ont., because cancer had appeared in his lungs. He died the following year.
On Sunday, Jeannie Kozun also walked with her family in honour of her son, Dakota, who died from cancer.
She said Fox’s story resonates with her.
“He went through a lot, and all kids that have cancer go through a lot — and their families, too,” Kozun said.
Saskatoon’s annual Terry Fox Run saw close to 400 participants raise more than $30,000.
“Terry’s story just really captured the spirit and the heart of Canadians back in 1980 and it continues to do so today,” said Alison Lackie, with the Saskatoon Terry Fox Run organizing committee.
READ MORE: Regina Terry Fox run participants reflect on cancer’s impact
It has been 37 years since Terry Fox was forced to end his Marathon of Hope, but every year Terry Fox runs happen in 9,000 communities across the nation.
“Cancer treatment has come a long way since the days of Terry Fox, but as anyone who has lost a loved one knows, there’s still a lot left to do, so we have to keep this journey going,” Lackie said.
To date, more than $750 million has been raised worldwide in Terry Fox’s name for cancer research.
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