Be part of the cure - donate to the Terry Fox Run

Unless you've been living in a cave for the last 6 mos, you should know that the Terry Fox Run is just around the corner. One week in fact - Sunday, Sept. 18. & if you don't know who Terry Fox is, I'm really hoping that you're going to tell me that you're an American!!! ;)

Terry was 18 yrs old when he was diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma - a form of bone cancer which is often found in the joint of the knee. The night he was heading into surgery to have his right leg amputated above the knee, a former high school teacher dropped a mag off for him which had a story about an amputee who ran the Boston Marathon. It was this article and the children with cancer that he saw that invigorated him and motivated him to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. It was his dream to see that there be a cure for a cancer and not see children and others have to suffer at the hands of this horrific disease.

On April 12, 1980, Terry dipped his foot into the Atlantic Ocean and set off on his Marathon of Hope. After running a marathon - 23 miles - a day, for 143 days straight, the marathon came to end on Sept. 1, 1980, on the outskirts of Thunderbay, ON. It was discovered that he had relapsed and the cancer had spread to his lungs.

On June 28, 1981, Terry passed away, one month short of his 23rd b-day…

Since then, there have been an additional 23 Terry Fox Runs, numerous awards named after him, an HBO movie made about Terry, a CBC Life & Times series, numerous schools named after him, had his face on stamp and on the loonie and being voted to 2nd on CBC's The Greatest Canadian by Canadians. Tonight, CTV aired a new MOW called Terry, starring Shawn Ashmore.

Everyone has their own favourite charitable organization and this the Terry Fox Foundation is mine. Why? I went to school in Poco and from kindergarten until grade 7, we would have a Terry Fox assembly, sing the Terry Fox song that our music teacher wrote and run around the field. And of course, raise money for the foundation. I then went to the same junior high where Terry used to train for the Marathon of Hope and in grade 10, I did Encounters with Canada, where we stayed in the Terry Fox Canadian Youth Centre. I then finished high school @ Terry Fox Secondary and then went on to study CMNS at SFU - Terry's alma mater.

Yeah, there are plenty of other people who have had the same experiences as me, but why do I know so much about Terry Fox? I lived and breathed Terry for two summers as I was the Foundation's School & Spcl Events Coordinator and its Media and Public Relations Coordinator. & to put it simply - Terry Fox is my hero.

So… I've gone on about Terry for long enough. Remember this - 1 in 4 people will be diagnosed with cancer. 25 yrs ago, the possibility of surviving the disease was low. Today, thanks to cancer research, people diagnosed have a much better chance of being cured. So, on September 18, I urge you to participate in the Terry Fox Run. If you can't, feel free to pledge someone who will be doing it (like me! ;) & don't worry… most of you will be getting an e-mail from me VERY soon!!!) 25 yrs ago, Terry asked that every Canadian donate $1. That's not so hard, now is it?