Terry Fox Run Day - I go to the Port Coquitlam "Hometown Run"
Very exciting day today... I went to the "hometown" Terry Fox Run in Port Coquitlam at Hyde Park Recreation Centre. There were thousands of people, it was hard to count. I saw a sea of people when I arrived. Moyra Rodger, producer of the CBC special, told me that the attendance was 10,000. Wow! I have spoken at Terry Fox Runs as small as 65 to 70, and as large as 1,500... but 10,000 people!
Special speakers were Rick Hansen, Premier Gordon Campbell, Prime Minister Paul Martin, Betty Fox. The event was MC'ed by Greg Moore's father. Lots of media cameras there. I took some pictures too!
Premier Gordon Campbell takes off his right shoe and gives it to Betty Fox, when she complains she doesn't have a "Adidas Terry Fox running shoe" - a very funny moment... - photo Todd Wong
I was interviewed by CTV, they had called me yesterday asking if I could contact them when I got there. They got my number from the Terry Fox Run BC office, as I often speak to media in my role as a Terry's Team member - cancer survivors serving as living examples that cancer research has made a difference. I also saw a BCIT broadcast media student Alex, who had done the commentating for the Taiwanese Dragon Boat Races - he was there with a camera and a reporter doing a story on the Terry Fox Run too! Will have to remember to watch CTV tonight!
I showed the reporters my SFU Terry Fox Gold Medal, from 1993. I often take it out to school visits, but this was the first time I had taken it to a run. I explained that Terry recieved the inaugural medal, and that it is given anually to somebody exemplifying the qualities of "courage in adversity and dedication to society." Rick Hansen is a medal recipient too.
As I did the run, I would talk to some of the participants. After talking with one woman and her daughter, she said she knew me and explained out mutual friends. I remembered Brenda Seraphim, and when I learned that her daughter was doing the run for the first time, I reached into my pocket and gave 10 year old Nicola a Terry Fox $1 coin.
Along the way, I met more people who were running for their daughter Teresa - a two time cancer survivor, and another woman Dolores, a cancer survivor. Marylou's friend Angelo Lee, was featured in the CBC tv special - Terry Fox: 25 Years of legacy. I saw a young family with the 1993 Terry Fox Run shirt, and we were amazed it was the first year either of us had done the run. I gave Terry Fox $1 coins to each of their small children.
A very special feature of the Port Coquitlam Terry Fox Run, is that it goes past Terry Fox Secondary School, where the Terry Fox Ravens cheerleading squad was stationed doing cheers for people running and walking past. Many people detoured to the front of the school where a stature of Terry is placed. A school teacher and her students were taking pictures of people with the statue for donations. I brought out my medal for the picture, and they thanked me for making a special moment for them. I gave them each a Terry Fox coin.
Todd Wong cancer survivor with Doug Alward and Terry Fleming - photo Deb Martin
Special moments for me were meeting Terry's basket ball coach Terry Fleming and Doug Alward, Terry Fox's best friend who drove the van and accompanied Terry on the Marathon of Hope. Doug and Terry were pleased to see the SFU Terry Fox Medal, as I told them Terry recieved the inaugural medal. Doug gave me a picture of himself and Terry walking on the St. John's harbour beach in New Foundland where they started the run. I also talked briefly with Betty and Rolly Fox, Terry's parents. I was very happy to know that they loved the new CTV movie "Terry" that was shown twice this week, starring Shawn Ashmore. Doug and Terry Fleming really enjoyed it too - remarking that the actor who played Doug Alward, did a very good job capturing Dougl's subtle and quiet ways - even if the actor was almost twice as big as Doug is in real life.
While my friends Brenda and Nicola were waiting in line to see Betty Fox, run organizers came to Betty and told her that the run had collected pledge amounts of 100,000 dollars. Amazing! She was very happy.
Brenda and Nicola pose for a picture after meeting Betty Fox - photo Deb Martin
It's not too late to donate funds for the Terry Fox Run. You can donate online at www.terryfoxrun.org.
I am very happy to be a Terry's Team member. I know that Terry Fox has become a big part of my life, not only because of speaking at run sites and elementary schools, or helping to start Terry Fox Day at SFU, but also by thinking about the values that Terry strived for. Cancer changes lives, and it is how we deal with the change that determines how we live our lives. I believe that Canadians are better people because of what Terry reminds us about ourselves. We all can make a difference.
more updates to come...
Here are links to some recent news stories about Terry Fox
Globe & Mail, Saturday Sep 17
about the unveiling of a new statue of Terry in Victoria
Globe & Mail, Sunday Sep 18
about the "hometown" run in Port Coquitlam
