They were lacing up their shoes and stretching their muscles at North Bay’s waterfront Sunday morning, for the 44th annual Terry Fox Run, to raise money for cancer research.
Having lost a leg to cancer, Terry Fox set out in June 1980 with his Marathon of Hope, attempting to run cross-country the equivalent of a marathon a day, to raise money and awareness for cancer research.
Unfortunately, he was forced to end his journey 143 days and over 5,000 kilometres later, when doctors found cancer spread to his lungs.
He died nine months later.
During this year's Terry Fox Run in North Bay, cancer survivor and young mother Melissa Campbell walked with her nine-year-old daughter Molly Campbell.
Diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 41 years old, Melissa is now four years cancer-free.
For Campbell, looking around and seeing the number of participants invested in raising money for cancer research by walking or running along the route was “overwhelming.”
“They’re taking time out of their busy lives to come and do something really important. But seeing all of these people here together is emotional, and it is overwhelming. It is this beautiful common goal to help people who really need that little bit of hope, that little bit of strength,” shared Melissa who has a long family history with cancer.
Campbell has firsthand experience seeing how medical advancements, made possible in large part to research dollars, have made a difference in her cancer journey.
“Myself and others. I’ve seen it at work, whether with my father doing his chemo treatments in Sudbury or myself going for surgeries in Sudbury, seeing the money at work. Seeing the medical equipment, the treatments, everything that is going to give these people that peace of mind to fight their best fight.”
Organizers are seeing steady growth in the number of walk/run participants.
“In comparison to our COVID years, our numbers have definitely increased. I would say maybe by 25 per cent since COVID, which I think is wonderful that the community is getting back to a sense of normalcy even though it has been a couple of years," said run organizer Emily Brown.
“But I think the impacts are still there, and we’re seeing more people coming out and supporting the run. Cancer has not been forgotten.”
On hand to offer their support were Nipissing—Timiskaming MP Anthony Rota and North Bay Mayor Peter Chirico, both cancer survivors.
“It is one of those things that you wonder, how do we stop this? And we stop it by things like you’re doing today. So, to all of you out there today, I want to say thank you for making a difference,” said Rota.
Mayor Peter Chirico noted that together we can make a difference.
“The survival rate is better and early detection is important. Make sure you take care of yourselves. If you’ve got a problem, get checked.”
Since 1985, the North Bay community and surrounding area have raised over $588,000.
This run will give that total another important financial boost.
