Life-saving cancer research continues thanks in no small part to donations from Canadians coast-to-coast-to-coast to the Terry Fox Foundation.
On Sunday, walkers, runners, and roller-bladers came out en masse to take part in the 45th annual Terry Fox Run.
There was a big turnout of well over 100 people at Belleville’s Zwick’s Park and by late afternoon over $58,000 had been raised with donations still coming in.
Long-time Bay of Quinte and Belleville run organizer Vicki Samaras tells Quinte News that cancer can still be tragic but there’s a reason Terry Fox’s run was called the Marathon of Hope.
“Nowadays, if a kid gets cancer there’s a 94 per cent chance they’re going to be alive five years later which is usually the years you need to pass before it’s gone – five years is that mark so these dollars are saving lives.”
For the first time in a few years a Terry Fox Run was also held in Trenton on Sunday. About $4,000 was raised in that run, a total that organizer Evelyn Wilson said will only grow as the run becomes better known to the community in future years.
Meanwhile, Samaras tells Quinte News that the Trenton and Belleville runs are both “legacy runs” in that they began in year one 45 years ago. Having more runs locally only serves to make participating more convenient for residents and would increase the amount raised for cancer research.
Below are photos from the Belleville and Trenton runs.
BELLEVILLE RUN
Mayor of Belleville Neil Ellis and Terry Fox Run organizer Vicki Samaras.
TRENTON RUN (Photos submitted)
