The organizer of Stratford’s Terry Fox Run says she’s excited about seeing people in person again when the fundraiser for cancer research returns to Upper Queen’s Park on Sunday.
“It’s a (good) way to get the community to come back face-to-face,” Rena Spevack Orr said. “I’m really looking forward to seeing people.”
Spevack Orr has been organizing the local event since 1999, shortly after she signed up to participate for the first time. Like many others, she took part in honoring the memory of family members affected by the disease, including her mother, grandfather, and brother.
Nearly 25 years later, Spevack Orr said advancements in cancer treatments have “absolutely” given her hope while she continues to organize the local fundraising effort with a small group of about a half dozen volunteers.
“I think it keeps a lot of people going,” she said.
The past two Terry Fox runs have been held virtually. Everything people need to participate, raise pledges, or donate, is available on the Terry Fox Foundation webpage.
Donations in Stratford have not waned during the pandemic, Spevack Orr said, but there is something special about holding the event in-person.
“People have stories,” she said. “You hear some really cool stories, whether they were there when Terry came through Stratford, which he did, or they were somewhere else in Canada. (But) the whole thing can be done online if you’re not comfortable coming.”
In April 1980, Terry Fox began his Marathon of Hope in St. John’s NL after a cancer diagnosis resulted in the amputation of his right leg when he was 18. While raising money for research, Fox ran an average of one marathon per day until his cancer returned and he was forced to stop in Thunder Bay Ont., more than 5,300 kilometers into his journey across Canada.
The Terry Fox Foundation has since raised $850 million, according to its website.
Terry Fox Runs will take place across the country on Sept. 18, followed by similar events at schools on Sept. 23.
Spevack Orr said she isn’t sure how busy the Stratford event will be on Sunday, but $1,300 has already been raised online ahead of the event. Volunteers will be at Upper Queen’s Park selling t-shirts and supporting participants who decide to run, walk, or cycle there.
Anyone interested in volunteering can contact Spevack Orr via email at [email protected].
“I’m always looking for help with social media and marketing,” she said. “I would never turn anyone away.”
IF YOU GO
What: Stratford Terry Fox Run
When: Sept. 18, 8:30 am to 1 pm
Where: Upper Queen’s Park
More info: run.terryfox.ca/3092