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Medicine Hat Terry Fox Run raises over $3,700 dollars for cancer research

Sep 16, 2018 | 3:59 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — In 1980, Terry Fox embarked on a Marathon of Hope across Canada to raise money for cancer research.

Fox was forced to end his run early on September 1st, 1980 after the cancer that caused his right leg to be amputated had spread to his lungs.

Fox’s dream of raising $1 for every Canadian was achieved on February 1st, 1981 before he passed away in June 1981.

Every year Canadians across the country continue to raise money for cancer research in Fox’s honour.

On Sunday, 66 Medicine Hat residents met at Kin Coulee Park for a three kilometre walk or run through the park.

Mayor Ted Clugston was at the run, and says it’s something that he tries to be a part of every year.

“Terry Fox is an icon, a Canadian legend, hero,” said Clugston. “I was just talking to some people who were born after he even died and I just talked about when I was a kid, how amazing it was that this crazy guy with one leg was going to run across the country with one leg. At the time, that was unheard of.”

The attendance was lower than normal for this year’s event but Raquel Mcnamara, co-chair Terry Fox Run, says the bad weather might have had something to do with the low numbers.

Mcnamara says they plan to do a better job of getting the word out about the run next year.

She added it’s great to see certain people who have supported the cause for a number of years.

“A lot of us did it when we were in school so we remember doing it. We had people here that did it, have done it for 20-30 years already,” said Mcnamara. “Each year you get a sticker on a certificate if you like. It was really cool seeing people having stickers from 20 years ago. That was amazing.”

At this year’s run Medicine Hat raised just over $3,700.

If you didn’t get a chance to donate at the run, you can donate online until October 13th.

Here is the link below.

https://secure.terryfox.ca/registrant/EventLocationHome.aspx?eventid=239806&langpref=en-CA&LocationID=239848&Referrer=https%3a%2f%2fwww.google.ca%2f