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Foundation wants to see Terry Fox Run return to Estevan

The Terry Fox Foundation would like to see a community Terry Fox Run return to Estevan this year, but first they need someone to step forward as the run director.
Terry Fox Foundation logo

The Terry Fox Foundation would like to see a community Terry Fox Run return to Estevan this year, but first they need someone to step forward as the run director.

Estevan hosted a community run for many years, but stopped hosting the event nearly a decade ago due to dwindling support. Schools have picked up the slack since that time, as each school in Estevan hosted a Terry Fox walk last year.

Allison Doan, the community and schools co-ordinator for the foundation, said they have had very good support from the schools, as they raised $8,370 last year.

She believes a community the size of Estevan should have a community run.

“Estevan has eluded us for a while,” said Doan. “Every year we’ve been working hard to try to get a volunteer to take over, but we just haven’t found that person quite yet.”

The Energy City is among the largest communities in the province that doesn’t have a community run. Doan said there are community runs in about 45 Saskatchewan municipalities, and schools in many communities participate in walks similar to the Energy City.  

“Estevan, like all of Saskatchewan, is a charitable community, and Terry Fox resonates with everybody,” said Doan. “I do think that we will find somebody who is a Terry Foxer, and is willing to take this on.”

Organizing a community run is not a big responsibility, she said, especially if the run director can find committee members to help out. She believes there would be a lot of support if the community run returned to Estevan.

Doan said an organizer of a Terry Fox Run should know about Fox, his contribution to the fight against cancer and the impact he has had across Canada with his Marathon of Hope in 1980. It would also be good to know about the Terry Fox Foundation, although Doan said the foundation could help with that.

“I think we’re also just looking for organizers who are in touch with the community, and have connections with different community groups and members to bring out as many people as possible to the run,” said Doan. 

The organizer should also be an upstanding person in the community, and should exhibit the traits of Fox with a work ethic, perseverance and a commitment to the cause.

They also hope the organizer would be able to stay involved in future years.

Doan said she would be pleased to come to Estevan and talk to people if they’re interested in organizing a walk.

Money that is raised during the Terry Fox Run will be directed towards the Terry Fox Research Institute, which then distributes the money to different cancer research initiatives across the country.

“We are invested in several different programs that are taking place right now,” said Doan. “As of late, we … agreed to more funding towards difficult to treat childhood cancers. That’s a renewed plan we have within the foundation.”

They also focus on different types of cancer research.

The Terry Fox Run happens across Canada on September 17. Doan hopes somebody will step up by mid-August at the latest, so that the organizer has time to plan the event.