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A Marathon of Hope

18 September 2019
Chloe C, Allard ‘21
The Terry Fox Run is an activity practiced across Canada, as well as among other countries, that had Brentwood students and staff to run, walk or cycle 5km to raise awareness for the fight against cancer. This annual activity happens on the second Sunday of September, and at Brentwood  every student is invited to participate by either completing the distance, or volunteering at the water station.

Terry Fox is a famous name in our country. His story continues to inspire people. He was a dedicated athlete before being diagnosed with bone cancer at the age of 18. This led him to have his right leg amputated above the knee. Motivated by the suffering of patients in positions like himself, he decided to lead a difficult journey to raise money for cancer research, on what he called the Marathon of Hope. He managed to complete 5,373 kilometers on his cross-Canada marathon on one leg before the cancer spread to his lungs.

To honour his legacy, and continue with the resilience and enormous strength and belief he had in finding a cure, we continue the run every year. Over 750 million dollars have been raised worldwide in Terry Fox’s name through the annual run. So that every student knew why this is such an important thing to do every year, Mrs. Hall explained Terry’s story and its significance at assembly on Saturday.

At twelve o'clock, the students and staff began. Each person wore a sticker, which read “I am running for ____”. The name of a loved one who needs the assistance of cancer research is written by the participant on their sticker. They are worn proudly as we dedicate the trek to that individual.

The best thing about the run is that it’s significance is appreciated by every participant. It is not tedious to anyone, but recognized as consequential and worthwhile. Stephanie M, Mackenzie ‘20, who has been participating at Brentwood for the past three years, observed “It is touching how important it is for so many people to be so invested in furthering cancer research.” For other Canadian students, it’s an honour to share Terry’s tale, and keep it alive: “I think it’s a really good opportunity and experience, especially for the international students, to learn about what Terry did for us. It’s important to continue his legacy” said Solveig C, Allard ‘21.

Terry Fox was forced to finish his journey on September 1st, 1980. Brentwood refuses to allow the crucial tradition to slide, organizing the activity for our day, international, and boarding students alongside the staff, children, and even dogs. Nearly 40 years later, Brentwood proudly continues his run for Terry, and for the future of cancer research.

Chloe C, Allard ‘21

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