THUNDER BAY –A big crowd gathered at Current River Rec Centre on Sunday for the 44th annual Terry Fox Run.
The run is an annual non-competitive charity event held all around the world in commemoration of Terry Fox, his Marathon of Hope and to raise money for cancer research.
Don Morrison, chairperson of the Thunder Bay Terry Fox Run, said the crowds were accumulating and the day was beautiful.
“We’re very happy how things are unfolding.
“We had about $7,000 raised online as of yesterday and we've had a steady flow of people all morning. I’m expecting a pretty good crowd."
Morrison said every dollar raised will go to the Terry Fox Foundation
“No money that's raised here goes to cover any cost of anything, everything gets donated. Every nickel that's raised here goes to the Terry Fox Foundation and that goes to cancer research.”
Morrison would argue there is not a person in the city that has not had some family member get touched by cancer.
“The more awareness there is, the more money that's raised, the greater the chance that we'll find a cure to cancer.
“As everybody knows, Terry's run ended in Thunder Bay. I think Thunder Bay has always had strong support for the Terry Fox Run. You see it every year in terms of money raised and people coming out and I can't see that changing,” he said.
Last year $40,000 was raised, Morrison said.
“A combination of the run and then the schools all have Terry Fox Runs as well, that all gets accumulated.
“It's close to $700,000 we've raised over the years in Thunder Bay for the Terry Fox run and there's been $900 million raised over the years worldwide.
“Terry Fox runs worldwide. His reach has gone outside the boundaries of Canada. It's all over the world.”
Eight-year-old Lillia Irwin raised $1,430 for the Terry Fox Run.
“It's because my grandma had cancer and I thought it would be fun.
“People who are having cancer right now deserve money to get better,” she said.
Irwin has been training with her family for the run, and was excited to partake.
“I'm really proud of myself to try something new and try to get more confident.”
