By Vanessa Ybarra

South Kam Secondary students keep Terry Fox’s memory alive

Sep 29, 2017 | 4:26 PM

KAMLOOPS — Hundreds of students ran to support cancer research Friday morning in South Kamloops Secondary’s annual Terry Fox Run.

This year marks the third year the school’s held the run in honour of Terry Fox who began his Marathon of Hope to raise money for cancer research in 1980.

Fox raised millions of dollars before succumbing to cancer.

School officials say events like the Terry Fox Run help keep his memory alive with the younger generation.

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“A lot of the students think the Terry Fox Run means they just have to go and run,” said Josh Ansley, head of the Leadership Program at SKS. “It’s important to teach them about Terry Fox because it’s getting to the point where his run was so long ago, the kids don’t necessarily know who he is. We need to know who he is because he’s obviously an important figure in cancer research.”

Early estimates show this year’s run raised around $2,500.

The Canadian Cancer Society estimates more than 42,000 men and 38,000 women in Canada are expected to die from cancer this year which is why students say it’s important to keep the event going.

“Donating money for cancer research is so important because so many people get cancer every day right,” said one participant.

“It’s important because it’s for cancer research and for the Terry Fox Foundation and Terry Fox has had such an impact on everybody,” said another participant.

“The idea is that cancer can touch anyone,” said Ansley. “Whether it’s a friend or coach, it touches everybody so it’s easy to get people behind an event like this because there’s so many people who have been affected by it.”