Lethbridge residents celebrate the in-person return of the Terry Fox Run

“Over the COVID pandemic, we did do virtual or online events, in which people would participate in physical activities of their own choice, in their own homes or in their backyards or doing a run by themselves or in their cohorts, and then checking in with us on Facebook.”

Johansen continued, “We were quite surprised at the success of these online events. But it is always nice to see everybody’s smiling faces first thing in the morning in an in-person event.”

Posters were placed to give those in attendance a history of the Terry Fox Run in Lethbridge, September 18, 2022. (Photo: LNN)

It’s been over four decades since Terry Fox began his run to cure cancer, and Johansen says that his impact on cancer research has helped so many people.

“The majority of the money raised at all of the Terry Fox runs goes directly into research funding,” Johansen explained. “Cancer treatments have come such a long way in even the 42 years that we’ve been doing this, that [cancer] is much more survivable or treatable now than it was 40 years ago.”

Johansen added, “Without the over $850 million that the Terry Fox Foundation has raised in those 42 years, we might not have gotten to this place with cancer research and treatments.”

Johansen said the run was made to be inclusive to anyone who wanted to participate, so that’s why there were multiple routes of varying distance that individuals coud take.

“Terry Fox himself wanted the fundraising runs to be accessible and participate for everybody of all ages, all abilities. So that’s why there’s no entry fee. That’s why you do your own distance or your own activity or your own pace,” said Johansen. “That’s why it’s open to people who walk, who run, who have wheels, that people bring their dogs and their kids. It’s very open, very inclusive, and he wanted it that way. And the foundation is the safeguard for that to make sure that these runs stay available to everybody and participating and donating in whatever way suits you best.”

Terry Fox’s uncle, Terry Fox senior, who is a cancer survivor himself, thanked the participants during the event in Lethbridge, September 18, 2022. (Photo: LNN)

Before the run started, Terry Fox’s uncle, Terry Fox senior, thanked the crowd for continuing to support his nephew’s legacy.

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A map of the various routes participants could take during the 42nd Annual Terry Fox Run in Lethbridge, September 18, 2022. (Photo: LNN)

by Drew Stremick

Lethbridge residents celebrate the in-person return of the Terry Fox Run

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