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Annual run in Powell River celebrates legacy of Terry Fox

Event a continued success thanks to volunteers
Arlene Pagani [left] Powell River
PLEDGE EARNERS: [From left] Arlene Pagani, together with her dog, Luna, Grace Balzan and Bill Whyard have been going door to door for decades raising funds for the annual Terry Fox Run, which takes place this Sunday, September 15. Sara Donnelly photo

This Sunday, September 15, Powell River, like hundreds of communities across the country, is hosting its annual Terry Fox Run. Now in its 39th year nationally, the fun, all-ages event celebrates the legacy of Fox, who attempted to run across Canada to raise funds for cancer research. 

Fox’s original goal was to raise $10,000, but the outpouring of support across the nation led him to dream of raising one dollar from each Canadian. He had to stop his Marathon of Hope after 143 days near Thunder Bay, Ontario, and died in 1981 at the age of 22. Since that time, Canadians took up the cause and to date more than $750 million has been raised.

Much of this fundraising is down to the hard work of small groups of dedicated volunteers such as Powell River’s Gracie Balzan, Bill Whyard and Arlene Pagani. All three have been earning pledges for the run for decades. In the age of online fundraising, their work is grassroots, walking the streets of their community and knocking on doors.

“It’s not easy,” said Balzan. “Going door to door, dogs come running. Sometimes I go to the same house five or six times.” 

Balzan started volunteering with her sister more than 30 years ago and lost her husband to pancreatic cancer six years ago. Fighting back against the disease by potentially helping others means a lot to her, she said.

“You meet lots of people and it’s nice to do something good for somebody,” she added.

Whyard started volunteering as soon as he moved to Powell River in 1989.

“I saw [a Terry Fox Run] happening in Whitehorse just before I left and thought it was an amazingly good idea, so when I came here and saw they were doing one I got involved,” he said. 

Whyard said Fox’s attitude and vision remain an inspiration to him. 

“Imagine getting up every morning on cold, wet days and climbing out of that camper,” he added. “Everyone can be a critic but [Fox] said ‘Let’s do something’ and boy did he do something.”

Pagani said when Ted and Jan Rodonets’ daughter Jody became sick with leukemia, it spurred her to action. 

“I got started when Jody Rodonets was looking for a bone-marrow donor,” she said. “Now I have a lot of really dedicated people who have donated to me every year. It’s such a good cause and 85 per cent goes to research, so that always makes me feel good.”

Whyard said the run is an opportunity for people to get together and celebrate community, generosity and working toward a cure. 

“There’s a kind of sadness that floats around in the vicinity of this because most of us have friends and family we’ve lost, but that’s why this is such a neat, positive thing; it’s helping,” said Whyard. “Whenever we feel like we’re having a tough day, put a Terry Fox t-shirt on.”

In Powell River, the annual Terry Fox Run takes place Sunday, September 15, starting at 10 am outside the lower level of Powell River Recreation Complex. The event is also suitable for bikes, wheelchairs, strollers, rollerblades and dogs on leashes with route distances of 3.5 and 10 kilometres.

For more information or to make a donation, go to terryfox.org.