Betty Fox in P.E.I. to mark 30th Terry Fox Run

Published on September 18th, 2010

Guardian photo by Jim Day

Betty Fox, the mother of the late Terry Fox, gives an autograph to Elliott River Elementary School student Jessica Harvey shortly before the grand opening ceremony Friday of the Terry Fox Sports Complex in Cornwall.

Betty Fox sees a day when there will be no more Terry Fox Runs.

The iconic mother of Terry Fox says that will be a day when cancer is beaten.

Fox was in Prince Edward Island on Friday to promote the 30th annual Terry Fox Run, which will be marked by a run on the Confederation Bridge on Sunday.

“We’re turning a corner very slowly, as far as cancer research is concerned,” Fox said in a one-on-one interview with The Guardian on Friday.

“We’re not going to find a cure for cancer. I’ve been told that by researchers. We will find causes for many of the various types of cancer and I believe that when that happens we won’t need a run anymore.”

The Terry Fox Run is named in honour of Canadian amputee runner Terry Fox who, at the age of 21, attempted to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research.

Warren Ellis of O’Leary said it’s important to have Rolly and Betty Fox in the province on the eve of this year’s Terry Fox Run.

Ellis and his family raised about $340,000 for the Terry Fox Foundation over the last 30 years. The Fox family personally recognized Ellis and his family for their effort.

“When Terry Fox reached Toronto I was watching TV ... he was running down Yonge Street and the nation had just galvanized behind him,” said Ellis, who will be running this year on the Confederation Bridge.

“As he came down Yonge Street that night, tears came to my eyes. It was such a thing to see him. Every year thereafter we got involved and started raising money for him.”

Those who want to take part in the Terry Fox Run on the Confederation Bridge on Sunday can still register. They can go to terryfox.org to register.

Pre-registration is mandatory and free.

More than 14,000 took part in the last Terry Fox Run on the Confederation Bridge in 2005, during the 25th anniversary of the Terry Fox Run. That run raised $375,000 in Terry’s name for cancer research.

The Foxs will not take part in the bridge run. They will be in Barrington, N.S., on Sunday.

That community won a national contest to have the Foxes participate in the run.

Terry’s brother, Fred, will be at the Confederation Bridge on Sunday.

Betty Fox said it took time for her to be able to share her son with the rest of the country.

Now, Fox needs to share Terry with the rest of the world.

There are Terry Fox runs in nearly 30 countries around the world and growing every year.

“In the very early years it was very hard for me because he’s my son - he’s not yours although people felt that way,” said Fox.

“It took a lot to change my attitude. Terry and I were very close. It was hard to share him with others.

“Today, I am so proud that he means so much to other people all over the world.”