Remembering Terry Fox at GREC

Oct 01, 2014

At a special school-wide assembly on September 25 at Granite Ridge Education Centre in Sharbot Lake, students learned about the Canadian hero Terry Fox and his epic run across the country to raise funds for cancer research. Students watched a film about Fox, who was diagnosed with bone cancer in March 1977. He underwent surgery that left him with a prosthetic leg. On April 12, 1980 in St. John's, Newfoundland and after months of training, Fox set out on his Marathon of Hope to raise money for cancer research. He ran for 143 days though six Canadian provinces, averaging 42 kilometres a day for a total of 5373 kilometres, before finding out upon reaching Thunder Bay that the cancer had spread to his lungs. Terry then returned to British Colombia for treatment and sadly passed away on June 28, 1981 at the age of 22. His goal of every Canadian donating one loonie to the cause was not in vain and his Marathon of Hope inspired and rallied the nation to initiate and take part in annual runs and other events, which, as of May 2014, have raised over $650M for cancer research through the Terry Fox Foundation. Terry was the youngest recipient to receive the Companion of the Order of Canada and today, almost 35 years after his marathon began, he continues to inspire people from all over the world.

GREC students Sam Kempe, Josh Keith, Bailey Merrigan, Tyee Davis, Emily Baillargeon, Leah Neumann, and Wyatt McVeigh spoke at the assembly, which was organized by educational assistant Cathy Reynolds, and each student read an excerpt from the journal Terry kept during his marathon. Prior to the event each student was asked to donate a loonie or toonie to the Terry Fox Foundation and after the coins were counted the school had raised close to $400. Following the assembly the students and staff ran or walked the outdoor track at the school and on the following Monday Ms. Schall's grade eight class was awarded a prize for raising the most money for the event.