Day 242-246 – 177.1 km (total – 6332.1 km)
Throughout Canada yesterday, people ran and cycled. They ran and cycled in support of Terry Fox and the continued effort to raise money for cancer research. A new sculpture by Douglas Coupland was unveiled this past weekend near Stanley Park in BC to commemorate Terry Fox’s journey. It is the park where Terry hoped to finish his run. Over half a billion dollars has been raised for cancer research since Terry collected the first few dollars at the side of the Trans Canada highway when he started his run in Newfoundland.
As I ran yesterday, I wondered what Terry Fox would have thought of running through the prairies… what he would have felt hitting the Alberta border… what it would be like to finally make it to his home province of BC. His journey was cut short as the cancer spread throughout his body. We sometimes want to attach metaphors, and with cancer we often talk about winning or losing the “battle” with cancer. Jack Layton’s passing a month ago conjured up these exact metaphors in the media as well. It can give the imagery that if somehow they had just fought harder, they may have been able to beat this disease. But Jack, nor Terry, lost any battle. They simply died of a disease that is beyond the control of what we know and understand. What Terry Fox did do is inspire a nation. He found a way to pass the torch – to let others continue what he started. And so, as I ran yesterday along with thousands of other Canadians, we carry that torch with pride and conviction. And although cancer research might not be my objective to running, I still believe I am carrying the torch that Terry passed along. Because his torch was about more than just cancer. His torch was about believing in something and doing something about it. The best part is, we can all pick up that torch and run with it!
I’m so thankful to my friend Audrey who has helped me the last several days with driving. She drove back to Regina yesterday and so I’m flying solo until Calgary. It feels great to be in Alberta and to feel the shift from prairie to badlands.
