Several communities across Simcoe County were brimming with enthusiasm as hundreds of individuals laced up their shoes for the annual Terry Fox Run on Sunday. The charitable event, centered in Barrie’s bustling downtown waterfront, began at nine in the morning, seeing participants of diverse backgrounds walking briskly to gather funds for cancer research – a silent salute to those valiant individuals battling the relentless disease.
Among them was Khai Ma, a Barrie inhabitant, who expressed, “This annual gathering is a family tradition, a session of remembrance for my departed sister, my dear father-in-law and my mother-in-law, who battled cancer.”
The legacy of Terry Fox’s cross-country run spans 43 years, a remarkable feat aimed at driving forward cancer research. Since that resolute sprint, the Canadian populace have proven their benevolence by raising a whopping 850 million dollars, as per records from the Terry Fox Foundation.
Citizens across age divides extend their support year-after-year to the noble cause, contributing significantly to the foundation’s work. Among these spirited individuals stands Holden Baks, a young grade four student from Barrie. Having raised an astonishing four thousand dollars singlehandedly for consecutive years, Baks elaborates, “This annual run is my tribute to my dad who fought cancer when I was quite young.”
In parallel, members of the Dwyer family have been consistently contributing to the cause over the years. Will Dwyer, prior to his demise in 2022, was instrumental in amassing over a million dollars for the Terry Fox Foundation through his committed participation in the annual runs. Keeping the charitable stream flowing, Bob Dwyer, his son, finds aspiration in his father’s legacy and hopes to honor him through sustained fundraising for the annual runs.
Reflecting on public support, Dwyer expressed, “The immensity of public outreach in support of this cause is astounding. We need more youth to step into fundraising, and it appears we are getting there.”
Beyond Barrie, the city of Orillia echoed the spirit of generosity, with its Terry Fox Run held at TudHope Park in unison. As per organizers from Orillia and Barrie, final tallies from the donation boxes would take a couple of days, with a bulk of the funds anticipated from area schools where diligent students have initiated collection drives for cancer research.
