In memory of cancer survivors and those who passed away at Lac La Biche

LAKE THE BICHE – For this year’s Terry Fox Run in Lac La Biche, Jordan Chan was inspired to run the 10-kilometre course to honour the memory of his father, Gene Chan, who passed away from cancer in 2018.

Chan, who is a recruit in the Community Peace Officer (CPO) program at the Lac La Biche Law Enforcement Training Centre, is from Red Deer and was one of three dozen people to participate in the annual Terry Fox Run, which took place on the afternoon of Sunday, Sept. 15. The event honours cancer survivors and remembers those, like Chan’s father, who have passed away.

“He had lung and liver cancer,” Chan told Lakeland This Week, explaining that his father was very health-conscious and never drank or smoked. “It shows that you can live a healthy life and still be vulnerable… it doesn’t discriminate against anyone.”

The Terry Fox Run, held annually around the world to raise money and awareness for the disease, has stories like Chan’s in every community. Terry Fox’s story himself is one of inspiration, strength and loss.

Fox, who was diagnosed with cancer in 1977 and lost his leg to the disease, planned to run across Canada to raise awareness and funds for cancer research.

His journey, known as the Marathon of Hope, began in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, on April 12, 1980. Fox had intended to run all the way to the coast of British Columbia, but when he reached Thunder Bay, Ontario, a distance of 5,373 kilometres, he was forced to stop because cancer had spread to his lungs.

Fox died on June 28, 1981 in New Westminster, British Columbia, at the age of 22.

For Chan, the late Terry Fox, considered by many to be one of Canada’s most iconic figures, has been an inspiration, especially now that he is training to become a law enforcement officer. He said Fox is a powerful example of how people can keep going and persevere even in life’s toughest times.

“No matter what’s going on in your life, you can persevere,” he said. “We all have many different challenges in our lives, but it shows how much you can inspire others and how much a little effort can go a long way.”

This year’s Terry Fox Run to raise money for cancer research began at McArthur Place before heading west along the lakefront to Nashim Drive and into the Pleasant Acres subdivision before turning around and returning to McArthur Place.

Along the course, participants ran, walked and cycled. While some have been participating in the cross-Canada event for several years, others, like Shannon Jackson and her daughter Jazlyn, were lacing up their running shoes for the first time.

“A colleague asked me to come do this today,” Jackson said, adding that the event is important because it raises awareness of Terry Fox and what he represented in the fight against cancer.

Since 1984, 38 Terry Fox Runs have been held in Lac La Biche. Over those four decades, $193,947.29 has been raised locally for cancer research. Each year, the run typically raises $1,500 locally, which is donated to the Terry Fox Foundation.