The 42nd annual Terry Fox Run takes place in Okotoks and across Canada on Sunday, Sept. 18.
The nation-wide event raises money for cancer research. It will be held in person for the first time since 2019.
“Cancer is, unfortunately, a very common word,” said Okotoks run organizer Sherry Heron. “It’s a good cause to fight for.”
The family-friendly and pet-friendly run begins at the Crystal Shores Beach House, at 403 Milligan Dr., and the route goes around the pathway system in the Crystal Shores neighbourhood.
Participants can choose from two-, five- or 10-kilometre routes, and the event is not limited to running. Participants can walk, bike, skateboard or scooter along the route. It is also stroller and wheelchair accessible.
The run starts at 11 a.m. and on-site registration opens at 9:30 a.m., with everything expected to wrap up by 1 p.m. A hot dog lunch will be provided by Fountain Tire for all participants.
People can register in advance or make donations online by searching for the Okotoks run at run.terryfox.ca.
Heron said she began organizing the Okotoks run in 2017 and has since met several families who have been affected by cancer.
People often participate to pay homage to somebody, she said.
“It’s a sombre event, but it’s a good event.”
Fox's legacy is felt across the country, she said.
“Terry Fox was an amazing man,” Heron said. “He was a Canadian icon; everybody knows of him.”
Fox, who was diagnosed with bone cancer and had his right leg amputated when he was 18, set out to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research.
Fox’s Marathon of Hope began in 1980 when he dipped his prosthetic leg in the Atlantic Ocean. After 143 days, covering over 5,300 kilometres, he was forced to stop after the cancer spread to his lungs. He died the following year at the age of 22.
An estimated four million people, in 600 communities, will participate in the run this year, according to the Terry Fox Foundation. To date, the foundation has raised over $850 million for cancer research.
