THUNDER BAY - Over the last 37 years, runners, walkers, and cyclists have raised more than $750 million for cancer research, all in the name of the man who made it his goal to run across the country in an effort to cure the disease.
That total continues to climb with people across Canada participating in the Terry Fox Run. On Sunday, hundreds of runners were out at Boulevard Lake to participate in the local run, including Lana Bullough and her team from Phelps Group, who added more than $1,600 to the millions already raised.
“I am just so thrilled that we could do that,” Bullough said. “It wasn’t actually hard to do at all. As soon as we told people what we were doing, the money just came in. It was like: Terry Fox Run, yes, we want to contribute.”
Don Morrison, chairperson of the Thunder Bay Terry Fox Run, said the run locally usually sees between 300 and 400 people and raises approximately $30,000.
“It’s great, particularly in Thunder bay where Terry ended his run,” he said. “It’s always great to see good numbers in terms of participants and money being raised.”
“We have a monument here in Thunder Bay,” Morrison continued. “When people think Thunder Bay, they think Terry Fox, so it’s good to have a strong turnout for his annual run.”
Terry Fox began his Marathon of Hope in 1980 in St. John’s, Newfoundland. After running more than 5,000 kilometres, he was forced to end his marathon just outside of Thunder Bay when his cancer returned.
The statue of where he ended his marathon stands as a reminder of his courage and his goal and that message remains in the hearts of the people of Thunder Bay.
“The Terry Fox run itself is so amazing,” Bullough said. “Terry finished his run here, so it’s pretty significant for Thunder Bay. We have this amazing statue dedicated to him and the whole foundation and what it stands for is near and dear to our hearts.”
“The Courage Highway, we all see that when we leave Thunder Bay,” she continued. “People from all over Canada, the States, all around the world come to see the dedicated statue.”
Bullough added that she plans to participate in the run again next year and she believes her team will beat their fundraising total this year. She said she wants to keep adding to the millions already raised in a marathon that began at the Atlantic Ocean and continues to add thousands of kilometres every year and still brings hope to people around the world.
“This is just our start,” Bullough said.
