Terry’s Team… voice of hope

When you think of it, Terry Fox was a normal kid.  He loved watching TV, eating pizza, spending time with his girlfriend.   He was a normal kid who just decided to prove that cancer can be beaten.  When he dipped his prosthetic leg in the Atlantic Ocean in Newfoundland in 1980, he wanted to raise $1 for every Canadian.

Thirty-one years later, the world continues to pick up Terry Fox’s dream as $550 million have been raised in Terry Fox Runs all over the planet.  Non political, without borders, embracing colours and culture openly, this run does a tremendous favour to world unity, bringing people together with a common goal:  make cancer history.

Patrick Scott is the chair of the Terry Fox Run in Barrie.  He first got involved with the Barrie run because there wasn’t one in Orillia.  As a casino employee, he continues to work in Orillia, but his commitment is to the Terry Fox Run in Barrie.

Terry’s Team members drop the flag and make the first steps of the run on September 18 when Centennial Park launches the first of 1000 runners out of the gate.  Terry’s Team members are cancer survivors and they’re the most important members of the Terry Fox Run in any community.  They’re the living proof that cancer can be beaten.

Patrick Scott and Terry’s Team captain, Colleen Kelly-Desrochers, are hoping to boost Barrie’s Terry’s Team numbers this year and launch this year’s run with a true representation of what research dollars can achieve.

Colleen is assuming this role after the death of Sandra Purchase, longtime Terry’s Team captain.  Sandra died from a cancer repetition this year and the Barrie run will be honouring her memory, along with the memory of Terry’s mother, Betty Fox, the woman who took her grief and funnelled into glory over three decades after Terry’s death.

Colleen is one of many cancer survivors who will walk, run, wheel, or applaud others who’ve built their pledge funds and aim to raise money for this community.  If we took Terry’s goal of $1 for every Canadian and applied it to Barrie, wouldn’t it be wonderful to raise $150,000 with the Barrie run?  To date, the Barrie run has raised $1.3 million in its 30 runs.

Isn’t it inspirational to have Terry’s Team members, resplendent in their Terry Fox Run t-shirts, dropping the flag and launching the race?  If you’re a cancer survivor, if you’re living with the disease right now, being present is the great gift you can give.  Colleen would love to hear from you.  Just contact her at:  kevcolleen@rogers.com

If you just want to run, you can build your pledge file by contacting Patrick Scott at pat_scott69@hotmail.com or by through the website:  www.terryfoxrun.org and selecting the Barrie run.  Online pledge forms, donations and cash & cheque donations are all welcome.

Details:  Sunday September 18.  Registration starts at 8 am.  Run starts at 9 am.  Two choices… long or short.  The 5 km run (or walk, or bike, or wheel) is from Centennial Park down to the Southshore Community Centre and back.  The 10 km run starts at Centennial, goes to Southshore, loops back to Heritage Park and returns to Centennial.

This year is the 31st run for Barrie.  Last year, Patrick says the Run Committee presented plaques to 30-year participants.  They represented over 45 different nations.  In fact, the run hoists flags from 30 embassies as an international symbol of the breadth of this event.

Opening ceremonies will honour Betty Fox and Sandra Purchase.  Jama Hall and Tara Dawn Winstone from B101 pull people together to sing a tribute to Terry Fox, the politicians speak, and the runners are off!

It’s a Hollywood script in the making!

Thanks, Patrick.  Thanks, Colleen.  Thanks, Sandra.  Thanks, Betty.  Thanks, Terry!