68,000 city kids will join Terry Fox cancer fundraiser
Published: September 16, 2005
Today, 430,000 Alberta students, along with Premier Ralph Klein, lace up their sneakers to help find a cure for cancer on the 25th anniversary of Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope.
Nearly 68,000 students from 216 Edmonton schools will join an estimated 9,000 schools and three million students from across Canada in what could be the largest single-day cancer fundraiser in the country’s history.
“It inspires hope that Terry’s legacy is still alive 25 years after the fact,” said Laurie Rooksby, school co-ordinator for the Terry Fox Run in Alberta.
Fox ran for 143 days and 5,373 km, from St. John’s, N.L., to just outside Thunder Bay, Ont. before his cancer, which had spread to his lungs, forced him to stop running.
This year’s Terry Fox National School Run Day has attracted 65% of Alberta students, up from only 25% last year.
Among those pounding the pavement today and raising money for cancer research in Fox’s name is the Alberta premier.
“This man was a great Canadian and it’s an honour for the premier to participate and help celebrate what he brought to Canada,” said Marisa Etmanski, a spokesman for Klein. There was no word yesterday on how much the premier has raised.
Klein will walk with Elboya Elementary junior high school students in Calgary today.
Rooksby asked Klein to take part in the Terry Fox Run in June, and learned earlier this month that the premier had accepted the invite.
“We are thrilled. Not only has he (Klein) agreed to participate, but he’s collecting pledges as well,” Rooksby said.
Sunday is the 25th anniversary Terry Fox Run.
In Edmonton, the run takes place at Hawrelak Park, with the opening ceremonies starting at 10 a.m.
Mayor Stephen Mandel is encouraging Edmontonians to participate.
He’s accepted a challenge from Yellowknife Mayor Gordon Van Tighem that will see the mayor of the city with the greatest increase in participation over last year hosted for a day trip by the other mayor.
More than 600 Edmontonians took part in last year’s Terry Fox Run.
“I’m confident our citizens will show their civic pride by at least doubling that number this year,” Mandel said in a news release.
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