BY SAMANTHA MAICH
From a clown, to councillors and runners, well over 1,000 participants at the Terry Fox Run on Sunday at Coronation Park in Oakville, have been affected by cancer.
Jeannie Jelly Beans has volunteered for the Terry Fox Foundation for the past 10-15 years. She arrived at the run as a clown, pulling a toy wagon behind her. “I’m here to make everybody happy,” Beans said.
Beans has a dark history with cancer, with three grandparents, four close family members, and five friends diagnosed with the disease. “They were people who had a lot to live for,” she said, “If Terry hadn’t been here I don’t know where we’d be by now.”
Cathy Duddeck, Councillor with the Town of Oakville, was in charge of the volunteers at the event. She said her mother had cancer, and her grandmother died of cancer. “Someone’s always been affected,” she said.
Terry Fox began a cross-Canada run to raise funds for cancer research in 1980, at the age of 22, with one leg amputated due to cancer. Fox died June 28, 1981 with his run half finished. The Terry Fox Foundation has raised more than $650 million worldwide, according to their website.
Tara Moonje was running to honour Terry Fox. “He was one of my heroes as a child,” she said. “And maintained being a hero.”
Pamela Torane, a fellow runner and friend of Moonje, first saw Terry Fox in the news when she lived in British Columbia. She followed the Terry Fox story and connected with the Terry Fox Run again in Oakville. Torane’s grandfather has died of cancer.
Both Moonje and Torane are teachers at Pine Grove Public School in Oakville, and said they ran to inspire their students who have already done the school’s Terry Fox Run. They have been running in the Terry Fox Run for the past 10 years.
Darrell Atherley was a power walker and had participated in more than 25 races and events, according to sportstats.ca, before bladder cancer took his life Nov. 16, 2010. Atherley founded Team Darrell, and his family continued the tradition after his death.
Team Darrell was the largest team participating in the Terry Fox Run in Oakville. All proceeds from this team go to the Terry Fox Foundation. The team chose this cancer foundation because it takes the lowest portion of fundraised money for its own administration.
“You’re always part of the team anywhere on this day,” said Joan Atherley, widow of Darrell Atherley. She said their family had teams in Vancouver, New York City, Chicago, Bancroft, Ont. and Newfoundland.
Rylan Atherley, son of Darrell Atherley, ran in the Terry Fox Run this year to carry on his father’s tradition.
“It feels great to run by the other red shirts,” Atherley said, and explained that his mother makes shirts to give anyone who raises a large amount. Team Darrell raised approximately $20,000 this year, and approximately $132,000 in the past five years through the Terry Fox Runs.
There were tents prepared with refreshments, the Sheridan Theatre Students performed during the opening ceremonies, and the Sheridan Cross Country Team participated and helped clean up. Town Councillor Pam Damoff gave a short speech before the runners took off at 10 a.m. for the 2km, 5km, and 10km runs.
“It was the most people are the Best Terry Fox Run,” Damoff said after during a phone interview. She has been involved in the runs for 15 years. She explained that they weren’t allowed to have corporate sponsors, but still raised $125,000 in mainly small amounts. “I think it’s so great that people are so generous.”
Geoff Gibson and Mitchell Bonk, sponsoring the United Way Gen Next, were also running. Their job is to get people between the ages of 25-40 involved in fundraising for the United Way.
Bonk said he has never directly been affected by cancer. He believes that doesn’t have to be a motivator though. He runs out of selflessness. He said he’s been blessed and wants to help people who aren’t as lucky.