Annual Beaches Terry Fox Run set for Sunday, Sept. 20

By JESSICA SHACKLETON

The annual Terry Fox Run is set to take place across Canada once again this September.

The Beaches Terry Fox Run is on Sunday, Sept. 20, with registration starting at 8:30 a.m.

The run begins at 9 a.m. and participants can join in anytime until 1 p.m. Registration is available online at https://run.terryfox.ca/129601

The run starts just east of the Woodbine Bathing Station and goes along the Boardwalk. Bikes, rollerblades, wheelchairs, strollers, and dogs are welcome. Participants can walk or run five or 10 kilometres.

The Terry Fox Run raises funds for cancer research and is held locally from coast to coast.

Bridget Keroglidis and Jessica Teper organize the Beaches run.

Both have seen the effects of cancer on loved ones and that’s what keeps them motivated to come back every year.

“It is rare to find someone whose life has not been impacted by cancer. For many of the people who come out year after year, cancer has had a direct impact on their lives. The run is a way to honour our loved ones who are on or have been on a cancer journey and also work towards a future without cancer,” Keroglidis told Beach Metro Community News.

On run day, those who have personally experienced a cancer diagnosis wear red shirts as part of “Terry’s Team” and remind everyone why the event is held every year.

The money raised goes directly towards cancer research.“That’s the real reason this can’t just be a one-time thing for me. Every September, we’re not just marking an anniversary; we’re reinvesting in research that’s already changed outcomes for people I love,” said Teper.

“It’s just special to see so many familiar faces, runners, and supportive businesses in the community come back to run with us, year after year.”

Last year’s Beaches Terry Fox Run raised $120,495, and the local run has raised more than $2.6 million since it began in 1982.

Terry Fox started the Marathon of Hope in April 1980 in Newfoundland with the goal of running across Canada.

He was forced to stop on Sept. 1, 1980 near Thunder Bay, Ont., when cancer returned.

He died on June 28, 1981, at the age of 22. The first Terry Fox Run was held in September 1981 to honour his memory and continue what he started.

–