This year is the 40th anniversary of the first Terry Fox Run, but as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual event, like other events across the world, will be different this year.
The Terry Fox Foundation has dubbed this year’s run “One Day Your Way” in order to avoid large gatherings of people.
Participants are asked to register online at www.TerryFox.org (remember to select Summerland as your run site) and then be active on Sunday, Sept. 20, the original date set for this year’s event. Run, bike, walk, swim, roll…just like you would have at the Terry Fox Run, but on your own.
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The Summerland organizers of the run, however, have taken this one step further as a local initiative.
Terry Fox completed 5,373 kilometres of an 8,000-kilometre journey during his 1980 Marathon of Hope before he had to stop in Thunder Bay, Ont. That was Sept. 1, 1980.
Fox, who had lost a leg to cancer, began the Marathon of Hope with the goal of money and awareness of cancer research.
The organizers are encouraging people to pick up the torch by encouraging Summerlanders to ‘Try For Terry’ beginning on Sept. 1, 2020.
During the month of September, people are encouraged to get active in Fox’s honour. Anytime people walk, run, bike, swim or take on another activity, they are being asked to log their distance on a website.
These totals will be added up and tallied with the hope that Summerlanders will be able to reach a distance of 2,637 kilometres (to complete the cross-Canada trek) or do the entire 8,000-kilometre trek together.
Even though Sept. 1, 2020, marks the 40th anniversary of Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope coming to an end, it is also an opportunity for the community to complete the Marathon of Hope for all affected by cancer.
To participate, visit Instagram @terryfoxsummerland, Facebook @terryfoxsummerland, Twitter @terryfox_summer or email distances to terryfoxsummerland@gmail.com.
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