Terry Fox is a light: a speech by a parent-teacher representative.



Why am I here today, that’s a very good question! When I was asked back in June to take on the job as coordinator of the Terry Fox Run, my first response was, aarrgh!!!  Julia!!! All I wanted to do in Sept. once my children were back in school was to set up a studio and paint, but how could I say no to the Terry Fox Run???

To be honest, it is truly an honor to be here today. So I would like to thank Julia for thinking of me, and Sandra Pascuzzi our new VP, for making it so easy for me. With all the help of the teachers, the students who collected pledges, and the numerous parent volunteers, there wasn’t much for me to do, except this one thing.

A week later, the reason I wound up in this position became very clear to me as I was sitting in Mosquito creek. It’s amazing what comes to you when you are daydreaming!  I WAS meant to paint a picture, but not an acrylic on canvas, a picture I perceived of Terry Fox. So that’s why I am here today, to share with you this picture, which comes from a very peaceful place and my inspiration is Terry Fox.

Terry was a young man whose simple objective, through the Marathon of Hope, was to inform Canadians of the importance of finding a cure for cancer. I believe that Terry had the greatest cure in him all along.

Let’s call it a light for now! A light in Terry that shone so brightly, even in such a dark place as cancer, it rekindled a light in everyone he passed and therefore grew stronger and stronger. One on-looker Terry passed in Toronto commented, “He makes you believe in the human race again.” What is this light, which not only restores our faith in the human race, but can restore the human race itself? If you are with me, just find a word and hold it for a few seconds. If you are daydreaming, stay with it, something great will come eventually!!!

I’m going to use the word, COMPASSION!
Compassion comes from the latin words ‘com’ which means together and ‘passia’ which means a suffering, together in suffering. By definition, it means a deep sympathy or sorrow followed by an urge to help. According to just a few of the many beautiful examples you wrote about, it can mean helping someone who is ill by keeping them company, doing things they enjoy, phoning them so they don’t feel alone, laughing with them, gathering friends, or giving them hope. I think one of the greatest and simplest forms of compassion is just to listen. Often we don’t have the words of wisdom to help someone who is sad or ill, but if you are present to allow whatever expression is needed at the time then that is a great gift in itself. Sometimes, there just are no words.

Compassion, I believe, has the greatest healing power of all and Terry shared his life to help us realize the power we have in all of us to help others heal. Medicine can cure a disease, but only we can heal a whole person. We bless each other!

The driver of Terry’s van while running across Canada, also his best friend Doug Alward, has been quoted “I remember Terry saying it is almost like this has been planned for a greater purpose”. At that point, I think he got the picture.

There have been many men and woman who have walked this earth for such a great purpose, Nelson Mandella, Ghandi, Mother Theresa,  the architect Buckminster Fuller, Rick Hansen, Simon Jackson, head of the spirit bear coalition, and the list goes on.
However, only one young man, running so passionately with one leg could touch the young people so brilliantly. Terry’s purpose was to raise money for cancer research and stop the suffering, but inadvertently, he also raised an awareness in all of us of one the greatest cures of all, COMPASSION.

Today, let’s run TOGETHER with open hearts in support of Terry’s dream and follow everyday in his footsteps with that brilliant light of compassion to help those who are SUFFERING.

Life is sacred, let’s have a great RUN at it.

THANK YOU!!!