The sun was shining at SFU Surrey campus on September 30 for the seventh annual Terry Fox Walk/Run.
Friday was Terry Fox Day, and SFU Surrey joined the Burnaby and Vancouver campuses in running for the cure, with all funds raised going towards the Terry Fox Foundation.
Students, staff and faculty, and members of the community all came together to walk and run, with the route starting at the plaza outside of SFU Surrey and encompassing the perimetre of Holland Park by King George SkyTrain station. Various teams were organized together with different themes, from matching shirts to a Harry Potter-themed team.
Steve Dooley, the executive director at SFU’s Surrey campus, emphasized that this event was a great one to bring together various groups as one big community, as well as a chance to raise money for a great cause.
“At SFU Surrey, we are all part of one big community that is defined by this neighbourhood, and it gives us an opportunity to connect with the community in a very neighbourly way,” Dooley told The Peak. “It’s also great to help raise funds for such an amazing cause, especially since Terry was an SFU student who set a great example for our students as well as the community.”
After a warm welcome from Dooley, SFU student and former SFSS president Enoch Weng shared an inspiring story of someone in his life who reflected Terry’s courage: his brother Luke, who was diagnosed with cancer at 17, but is now cancer-free.
“Cancer sucks, but the people here [at the Terry Fox Run] rock because they are here to support the cause.” – Enoch Weng Former SFSS president
“I think of it this way: if [Terry] didn’t have cancer, there would be no Marathon of Hope,” Luke said. “Terry Fox is a hero to me, [. . .] he took his downfall and used it to help a lot of people.”
Enoch added, “Cancer sucks, but the people here [at the Terry Fox Run] rock because they are here to support the cause.”
Further, the Weng brothers hope that people take Terry’s example of persevering in the face of hardship. Luke compared it to the refining of a precious metal like silver: “Silver goes through intense heat [. . .] in the end, it turns into something so beautiful, so pure [. . .] and something like suffering inspires me. I can use it, I can turn it into something great. Don’t let the opportunity to help someone pass you by.”
This is the spirit and legacy of Terry Fox: despite his adversity, he worked hard to make a difference. To date, over $650 million has been raised worldwide for cancer research. With Friday’s event, SFU helped to play a critical part in the fight to find a cure for cancer.
