.jpg)
On Sunday, hundreds of people gathered at Gillies Lake for the 34th Terry Fox event in Timmins.
“We’re very proud” said Chairwoman of the Timmins Terry Fox event, Cathy Davis “We haven’t missed one. There are some communities that are struggling, but Timmins is the City with the Heart of Gold.”
With a huge portion of the support coming from the schools, “educators are vital in ensuring that Terry’s legacy remains vibrant and relevant,” said the Terry Fox Foundation. “You are sharing his example of generosity, spirit, and compassion and providing students with an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of so many people.”
Locally, one of the biggest successes of the Terry Fox programs in the schools was young “Terry Fox-er” Hayden Cameron who, in his first year at a Terry Fox event, raised $500 and then exceeded that amount this year, when he participated for his second consecutive year, by raising $700.
“I truly believe that if it wasn’t for the school systems and the curriculum that the children wouldn’t have an education about this Canadian icon,” said Davis, “The youth are the ambassadors of the Canadian Terry Fox events.”
Participants of all ages were eager to get going as they were lead through a short warm up program by Jessica Johnson of Rehab Plus.
“When you come up to the Terry Fox Run … Just think about a guy who ran five thousand, four hundred and some kilometers on one leg. Think about every day doing a marathon,” said Timmins Mayor, Tom Laughren, “Think about what his goal was when he started to what it is today. The dollars that have been raised and the survivors like we have here, that’s what this is all about.”
“Cancer touches all of us and for me, it’s great to see, from a community perspective people like Cathy and her crew that continue to put this event on because it’s not easy. For you to continue to come out, support, walk or run and continue to raise funds,” continued Laughren.
Funds are collected from events like the Terry Fox run in Timmins and channeled through the Terry Fox Foundation to the top facilities and researchers in Canada.
Eighty four cents of every dollar donated goes to help develop treatments for all cancers.
The research that this money finances has led to treatments and success stories that were unheard of thirty four years ago, when Terry Fox set out on his journey.
“Fifteen years ago there was a woman in Timmins Ontario who had inflammatory breast cancer, stage four, just like myself,” said Michéle Marttala, a cancer survivor who spoke during the opening of this year’s event.
“There was no medication for her, she survived three months,” continued Marttala, “I was diagnosed in 2011 at the age of forty three with inflammatory breast cancer. There are now medications to help us live longer. I am in my 35th month of survival! Are we making a difference? Absolutely!”
Just as inspirational as Marttala’s story was Cathy Davis’ remembrance of her interaction with youth who have survived cancer.
“We’ve had young people come up to us and tell us that ‘I’ve had the same Cancer that Terry had and I still have my leg.’ That tells us that there’s life after cancer,” she said.
We’ve changed the face of Cancer because he (Terry Fox) started something 34 years ago.
Now it’s up to us and the youth of our community to carry on the legacy.
Anyone wishing to make a charitable donation or volunteer your time to support a local Terry Fox Run, the Terry Fox Foundation website can be found at www.terryfox.org
(Photo: Participants set out around Gillies Lake for the 2014 Timmins Terry Fox Run. TimminsToday/Dave Kramer)
