Lakeland area Terry Fox Runs to raise money for cancer research

This Sunday in communities across the nation, thousands will tie up their running shoes and continue Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope.

Communities across the Lakeland are participating as well, raising money for cancer research, including Bonnyville, which had its first of four Terry Fox Runs on Thursday afternoon.

This year’s Bonnyville Terry Fox Run will provide walkers, joggers, runners, bikers, wheelchairs and dog-walkers with a “trail” experience.

Run organizer Les Parsons said after receiving feedback from families, they decided to do multiple runs, including one Saturday and two on Sunday.

“We decided to offer four different times, so people are without excuse, or no reason that they couldn’t make it. With these opportunities they have, it’s a chance to come out go for a beautiful walk, or a jog or a bike ride or a wheelchair, or walk their dog or run,” Parsons told Lakeland Connect.

While most people know someone who has dealt with a cancer diagnosis, for Parsons it is personal. Fifteen years ago, he had his stomach removed as a tumor had developed there. After painful treatment and removal, he was cancer-free.

Since then, he has been heavily involved in the Terry Fox Run in the various communities he’s lived.

“It gets personal when you have a near death experience with it, the  it really internalizes. Ever since then, I’ve been involved with the Terry Fox Run every year we’ve ever lived in Canada: in Vermillion, I lived in Quebec, near Quebec City, in Camrose, and again, in Bonnyville here,” said Parsons.

“It’s personal. If we had the technology back then we have today, Terry might be alive. But he raised the funds, so people like myself could survive because of all the research went into cancer. So I’m a beneficiary of Terry Fox, his marathon.”

Race times and locations