WATER VALLEY - The 36th annual Terry Fox Run at Water Valley on Sept. 18 exceeded our expectations with 132 participants and volunteers to walk, run and bike the 10-kilometre route.
Although some online pledges are still coming in, our total is almost $13,000 for cancer research.
Everyone there has a story of how cancer has touched their lives so we celebrate by giving to this great cause.
The Terry Fox Research Institute (TFRI) awards grants to deserving medical teams and researchers working on early detection of cancer through imaging, and treatments such as viruses and stem cell therapy.
Dr. John Bill of Ottawa is targeting cancer cells with a combination of two viruses in clinical trails funded in part by TFRI.
Dr. Brenda Gaille and Dr. Helen Chan, two specialists at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, specialize in a rare children's eye cancer called retinoblastoma usually diagnosed before the age of two years.
Through research techniques success rates have risen to 99 per cent. This caught my attention when identical triplets, Thomas, Mason and Luke Law of Edmonton were part of the research stories in this year's campaign news. The boys, who were born in 2013, each lost an eye over an 18-month period, and have travelled with their dad and mom for treatments in Toronto with these two doctors. The boys, now three years old, are progressing well.
This is one of the research projects our funds have helped to make possible. In our community in 1998, Tessa Smith, at three months of age, underwent the same treatments for retinoblastoma and survived to be a healthy, happy little girl. Although I have lost contact since the family moved back to Ontario, the community remembers the triumph we felt to see the wonderful care she received.
This is only a small look at some encouraging stories which fill one with hope concerning Terry's dream, “somewhere the hurt has got to stop.” Check out www.terryfox/research for some amazing articles.
This March, sadly, Roly Fox passed away due to lung cancer, having lost Betty in 2011. They were such ambassadors for Terry's cause. The remaining families of Fred, Darrel and Judith remain involved and dedicated through these many years.
We were thrilled to have Rhonda Riseborough, our provincial director, attend the run as well as several special past volunteers and survivors. There were many new faces along with our faithful as our run continues to grow.
In this year's September-October issue of Impact Magazine there is a special tribute to Terry Fox as “Canada's Greatest Sports Hero,” by Jim Morris. The unanimous vote attributed his heroism, inspiration, empathy and determination to challenge the country to help find a cure for cancer through research.
Tributes and donations can be made year-round and online at www.terryfox.org.
- Mary Thomson is a volunteer coordinator with the Water Valley Terry Fox run.
