Forty-six years ago, Terry Fox began his journey across Canada in what is known as the Marathon of Hope. Students from 13 high schools caught a glimpse of that it might have been like to walk in his footsteps on Thursday. “They’re going to take these steps together for something that’s bigger than themselves,” said Joe Bell, Superintendent of Education Student Well-Being. “We want to bring students together and create a sense of community, a sense of belonging and a sense of purpose. We really thought that we would wrap that around and bring support to the Terry Fox Foundation and honour his vision that we really are much stronger and better when we do things together.” Six hundred students walked around the track at Sandwich Secondary twelve times, a total of 3,000 kilometres, the same distance remaining in Fox’s original run from coast to coast in 1980. “This means hope and that no matter what you’re going through that you can do it and you should persevere no matter what.” A Sandwich student told CTV News. Andrew Francois felt good being part of the event and walked away with a better understanding. “You don’t really think about how it actually impacted other people with cancer or have dealt with cancer,” the Walkerville student said. “It’s really cool to know that there’s people out there that actually that changed their lives, to save their lives and everything and it’s really cool to meet his brother too. Such an honour.” Terry Fox’s brother Fred was a keynote speaker and helped start the walk. “The money that’s raised, we reached a billion dollars earlier this year and it’s having an impact,” Fox said. He had a chance to visit the research centre at the University of Windsor earlier this week and see how funds are being used. Through WE SPARK, the university is working with the college, who is working with local hospitals. Add the various fundraising organizations like T2B, Cancer Centre Foundation, Play For A Cure and the Cancer Research Collaborative Fund and you have a large contingent of people pulling in the same direction, trying to find a cure for cancer. According to Jeff Casey, there is a unified effort not only here in our community but across the country. “You go all the way back to when Terry Fox was talking about this. That’s exactly what he wanted, and it’s taken a long time to get here but we have made a lot of progress.” Fred Fox agreed. “Terry would be so proud. That’s why we’re here today. Not to celebrate Terry as much as we are to celebrate cancer research and where it is today because of what he did.” Tyler McGregor, captain of Canada’s sledge hockey team, told students that Fox’s vision saved his life. “I’m a beneficiary of that. So many people in Canada and around the world are as well,” McGregor said. “In 2010, with a similar form of bone cancer, my chances of survival were slated around 80 per cent. Now dating back to 1980 around the time of the Marathon of Hope, Terry Fox, his chances of survival were around 20-percent. I’m grateful for Terry, for the Terry Fox Foundation and communities like this being part of it.”
