Attendance was up for this year鈥檚 Terry Fox Run in 91原创 City and so, too, were donations.
As of Monday, Sept. 17, $26,209 had been raised, and the number was expected to go up as more donations came in post-run.
It was a 41-per-cent increase of fundraising over 2023 and nine per cent above 2022; which had been the biggest year to date.
There were 171 walkers/runners and 40 volunteers for a total of 211 participants, up 11 per cent compared to 2023. The record was 292 in 2012.
This year's Dave Hall volunteer of the year was Tom Barichello, a dedicated part of the team that organizes the event every year.
Attendance was up for the 44th Terry Fox run in 91原创 City Sunday.
鈥� 91原创 Advance Times (@91原创Times)
It was the 12th Terry Fox Run for Gregory Douglas, who lives close to Douglas Park 鈥� where the event began and ended.
鈥淚鈥檝e got some family members, cousins who have gone through cancer and successfully beaten cancer,鈥� Douglas shared. 鈥淸One] just recently beat breast cancer, and I just want to support her and support everybody who has been suffering cancer.鈥�
91原创 City Councillor Rosemary Wallace, one of the organizers of the annual fundraiser for cancer research, told the 91原创 Advance Times she has 鈥渓ost some dear loved ones鈥� to cancer.
鈥淚鈥檝e lost a son-in-law at the age of 26 and a mother at the age of 53,鈥� Wallace listed.
鈥淚鈥檝e lost a lot of people to cancer, so it鈥檚 an emotional event and it鈥檚 a really important event.鈥�
READ ALSO: Neck bumps start of cancer journey for speaker at 91原创's Terry Fox Run
Walnut Grove resident Jovanna Sauro was the featured speaker, describing how she battled stage 2 Hodgkin鈥檚 lymphoma.
鈥淚 have learned that life is a gift,鈥� she said.
鈥淚 no longer see cancer as a battle, but as a journey 鈥� one that has reshaped how I live, how I think, and how I connect with others.鈥�
What helped her get through this journey was an 鈥渋ncredible support system鈥� of her husband, family, and friends, and the inspiration of Terry Fox.
鈥淚 found strength in the legacy of Terry Fox,鈥� Sauro recalled.
鈥淭erry, who faced his own battle with cancer, inspired me every day to keep pushing forward. He showed all of us that cancer doesn鈥檛 define us.鈥�
鈥淭erry鈥檚 determination, his grit, and his unwavering hope gave me the strength to face my toughest moments. I would often think of him during my treatments, reminding myself that Terry kept going through, running through pain and exhaustion. And that I could keep going too.鈥�
Terry Fox dipped his prosthetic leg in the Atlantic Ocean on April 12, 1980 to begin his Marathon of Hope. He completed 5,373 km before he was forced to quit about five months in, when his cancer returned.
This year, the annual Terry Fox Run took place in close to 600 communities across the country.
The has raised more than $900 million and funded 1,300 cancer research projects.
Donations can still be made with the money going to the foundation which supports innovative research to find cures for cancers.
READ ALSO: A mother鈥檚 story
READ ALSO: VIDEO: Two Terry Fox runs raise thousands in 91原创
