Nearly 1,000 people came together in Victoria on Sunday to help raise cancer research funds in honour of Terry Fox.
More than 40 years after the iconic Canadian hero lost his battle with cancer, his fight to beat the disease lives on through 600 national events yearly.
For those who knew Fox, it feels like it was only yesterday they found out he was planning a journey to unite a nation and inspire those who needed it most.
Fox’s cousin, Darren Wark, remembers the day his father told him his older cousin would be running across the country.
“We were sitting at the dinner table, and he said your cousin is doing a run across Canada to raise money for cancer,” Wark told CHEK News.
“That was the first time I heard about it, and I became a fan as of that night.”
Others like Bill Vigars, who was with Fox inside his support van during his marathon, want those who support him to know that he was selfless.
“He had only one goal and one goal only,” said Vigars.
“He did not want to be a hero, he didn’t want to be famous, he just wanted to find a cure for cancer, and he was driven by his experience in the cancer ward in Vancouver when he was treated at 18.”
Vigars added that he recently released a book titled “Terry & Me,” where he tries to share what happened during Fox’s historic journey through his eyes.
The five-kilometre route at Beacon Hill Park on Sunday, Sept. 17, brought together walkers and joggers with their own cancer stories.
Pat Chambers crossed the finish line with his daughter and wanted to remember today as a significant milestone.
“Recently, my daughter was diagnosed with Leukemia two and a half years ago and she just finished her last chemo treatment in Victoria about a month ago,” said Chambers.
“It’s emotional to be here.”
Fifty-two thousand dollars was raised at this year’s event, bringing Victoria’s Terry Fox Foundation contributions to more than $1.2 million.
Tchadas Leo
