More kids came out to the Terry Fox Complex in Cornwall to greet Michael
Delivering the Terry Fox Flag to Premier Robert Ghiz
More Photos of the PEI Terry Fox Day Tribute Run
http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/News/Local/2012-04-12/article-2953360/Gaudet-marks-April-12-with-run-in-honour-of-Terry-Fox/1Gaudet marks April 12 with run in honour of Terry Fox
Michael Gaudet passes through Cornwall during his Borden-Carleton to Charlottetown run, part of a national movement to mark April 12 as Terry Fox Day in Canada Guardian photo
Published on April 12, 2012
Mitch MacDonald
Michael Gaudet doesn’t describe the more than 50-km trek he made from Borden-Carleton to Charlottetown yesterday as merely a “run”, but as a celebration of Canadian hero Terry Fox.
The 59-year-old Summerside resident laced up his running shoes exactly 32 years after Fox began his 1980 Marathon of Hope, re-tracing the same route the young runner took while he was on P.E.I.
The goal was not to raise money, but rather to have April 12 recognized nationally as Terry Fox Day, a grassroots effort started by Montreal resident and cancer survivor Eddy Nolan.
Gaudet said that Fox has always been a hero to him, as well as many others, for a number of reasons.
“There’s not a family I know that he (Fox) hasn’t touched through his Marathon of Hope. Six hundred million dollars has been raised in his name,” said Gaudet. “On top of that, what we did today (Thursday) was one day. He did it for 143 days with one leg. You just have to put your head behind that and realize that not only was he a hero but just an absolutely incredible athlete.”
Gaudet wasn’t alone in his P.E.I. effort. While no one else completed the entire trek, numerous runners joined him for pieces of his journey throughout the day.
Even during times when he ran alone, there were often passer-bys to lend some encouragement.
One highlight came when Gaudet passed Englewood Elementary school in Crapaud where students were waiting outside to cheer him on.
“That was very touching,” he said. “And there was a gentleman who came by in a transfer truck and he rolled down his window and came to a stop and yelled ‘three years cancer survivor’.”
“There was all kinds of people beeping their horns, so you just realize that there is so many people that have been touched, and continue to be touched, by Terry Fox.”
Armed with a flag showing a picture of Fox running and text saying “Terry Fox Lives Here,” Gaudet ended his run at Province House. Gaudet was greeted by Premier Robert Ghiz and Health and Wellness Minister Doug Currie before the runner presented his flag to the two.
Currie said the Marathon of Hope Fox created continues to be an inspiration to Canadians.
“His legacy and his memory and what he’s done for cancer research and the ongoing fight against cancer is just amazing really. Today is just another day to create awareness and to keep his legacy alive to continue fighting cancer,” said Currie, who also commended Gaudet on his effort. “For him to sort of publicly awaken that and bring attention to that is extremely admirable on his part.”
However, for Gaudet, making the trek was easy to do after having seen many loved ones affected by cancer.
“I’m 59-years-old so I’ve buried some really close friends that have been touched by cancer, my father as well as my good friend and mentor,” he said. “Terry Fox has extended an awful lot of those people’s lives, through $600 million he has touched a lot of people and kept a lot of people around for a lot longer.”
“This was an easy run for me to do. It wasn’t a run, it was a celebration for Terry Fox.”
Nolan, seen here running on Sherbrooke East, refused to succumb to the temptation to surrender, and ultimately completed the marathon Thursday.ctvmontreal.ca
MONTREAL — Some of the courage and tenacity that Terry Fox personified seems to have rubbed off on one of his longtime admirers, who put on a brave battle in the streets of Montreal Thursday.
Eddy Nolan, 55, has been running marathons in tribute to the Canadian hero for 30 years but the one he ran Thursday might have been the most difficult.
Last year, the Roslyn School caretaker was, himself stricken was the same disease that he has worked so hard to raise funds to fight.
Cancer, which already took two of his sisters, forced him into chemotherapy, which has left him with a feeding tube in his stomach.
Nolan has long encouraged students and countless others to participate in the Terry Fox fundraising runs against cancer and suddenly found himself being cheered on by his many admirers as he embarked on a marathon from Montreal West to the Olympic Stadium and back.
"I'm feeling pretty good it's kind of like a magical day for me," said Nolan.
But even on a day when many were thinking of Nolan's courageous run, Nolan was still remembering Terry Fox.
Among the many stories that Nolan tells to illustrate his hero's character involve Fox's time in hospital.
"When his leg was being amputated in the hospital in BC, Fox cried for the children he saw down the hallway with the helplessness in their face and the children that had terminal cancer," said Nolan.
"With that run and everything else he made us so proud to be Canadian and I just got to do what I have to do for the rest of my life," he said.
Nolan, who has lost 30 pounds since undergoing chemotherapy, said that the kids have given him strength.
"When I was diagnosed with cancer, those kids went right to work the very first day, they had a wacky-hat day, a hot dog sale, and they raised $5,000 in a matter of a few weeks."
Thursday was not meant to be an easy day though.
"I was a bit afraid today, I thought I wasn't going to make it. The legs were tightening up too much and my hips were getting too sore," said Nolan.
But Nolan managed to push through and complete his marathon.
The run was as inspiring to others as it was difficult for Nolan.
Christine Cardinal, a longtime friend of Nolan's, summed up the spirit of the day.
"As we went past Roslyn and saw the 500 kids, I thought one of those kids is going to be inspired and maybe grow up and find a cure for cancer," she said.
GALLERY
Local Montreal hero Eddy Nolan runs Terry Fox
awareness marathon
Local Montreal hero Eddy Nolan ran a marathon down Sherbrooke Street to raise awareness for Terry Fox.
Today marks the 32nd anniversary of Terry Fox's marathon of hope. Eddy organized one person in every province
to run today and his goal is to get April 12 recognized as National Terry Fox day.
Eddy is a janitor at Roslyn Elementary in Westmount and the entire school lined Sherbrooke Street this morning to
cheer him on. Photos courtesy of Anne Leclair, Global Montreal.
http://www.leaderpost.com/sports/runs+Regina+Lumsden+memory+Terry/6449967/story.html
Mom runs Regina to Lumsden in memory of Terry Fox
Nina Hurlbert (L) Colleen Ridgway (C) and Ridgway’s daughter Shelby Henderson (R) ran and biked from Regina to Lumsden on Thursday, joining athletes in each province who each ran marathons commemorating the 32nd anniversary of the start of Terry Fox¿s cross-Canada journey. Photo taken in Regina on April 12, 2012.
Photograph by: Don Healy , Regina Leader-Post
REGINA — With steely clouds in the sky and a blustery wind at her back, Regina mom Colleen Ridgway started warming up in front of Government House on Thursday morning, before taking off on a run to Lumsden.
As she pounded the pavement heading north on Highway 11, Ridgway joined athletes in each province who ran marathons commemorating the 32nd anniversary of the start of Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope.
Ridgway’s friend, Nina Hurlbert, and her daughter, Shelby Henderson, accompanied Ridgway on the journey, eight-year-old Shelby riding her bike alongside her mom inside the city limits.
It was Ridgway’s first marathon since she ran the Calgary Marathon in 1998, but she was wasn’t about to let that — or an injured foot — stop her.
“I really admire what Terry Fox did and that he didn’t give up when the going got tough,” she said.
Ridgway got involved in the run after being contacted by her cousin in Alberta, who was the representative for that province.
The whole thing was organized by Eddy Nolan, who is a friend of the Fox family and has been running a marathon each year in Terry’s memory.
“My own family has been touched by cancer over the year, and I think most people have,” she said
“When my cousin said Eddy was still looking for someone in Saskatchewan, I agreed to do it,” she said.
That was about a month ago.
Despite her foot injury, Ridgway continued to train, logging a few long runs each week and around 27 kilometres on the weekends.
The Leader-Post caught up with Ridgway after her run, which only ended up taking about 3½ hours.
“The wind really helped us a lot,” she said.
“It was really, really windy out there on the highway. At times Nina and I grabbed each other’s hands after a really strong gust because it was blowing so hard.”
Ridgway, also a teacher in Regina, plans to share her story with her students after the Easter break, and said her school and her daughter’s have raised thousands of dollars for the Terry Fox Foundation over the years.
While she would “definitely” do it again in the future Ridgway said she would like to offer the chance to other people in Regina.
“This was really a tribute to Terry Fox and everything he did, and it’s helping to keep his memory alive,” she said.
“As Terry said, you feel the fear but you do it anyway.
“Not doing it just wasn’t an option.”
Tribute to Terry Fox - Vancouver Style!
Linda Wong & fellow runners at the Terry Fox statue in Vancouver BC
Zora Luckett representing Ontario from Toronto
Photo by Glemena BettencourtKarry Huss Lukenbill with Brenda Walker representing Alberta
Alasdair Veitch with Heather, Sheena, and Amanda representing N.W.T./ Nunavut/ Yukon.
photo by polarsue The 2012 Terry Fox Day Tribute Runners:
1- Alasdair Veitch representing N.W.T./ Nunavut/ Yukon.
Running route will be through the town of Norman Wells.
2- Linda Wong representing B.C. from Vancouver.
Running route will be downtown Vancouver loop pass City Hall.
3- Cole Choken representing Winnipeg Manitoba from Dog Creek First Nations.
Running route Transcona east to west perimeter.
4- Karry Lukenbill representing Alberta from Sylvan Lake.
Running route Sylvan lake, highway 11- Red deer to end.
5- Colleen Ridgway representing Saskatchewan from Regina.
Running route Regina to Craven.
6- Christa Willar representing Newfoundland from St. Johns
Running route start Mc Namara Road finish Worsley Park in Manuel.
7- Michael Gaudet representing P.E.I.
Running route Borden to Charlottetown along Trans Canada
8- Jodi Isenor representing Nova Scotia from Ingram Port
Running route Start in front of Province house and Finish as well same route as Bluenose Marathon.
9- Zora Luckett representing Ontario from Toronto
Running route Toronto's City Hall to Lakeshore
10- Remi Guitard representing New Brunswick from Moncton
Running route start Running Room - Dieppe.
11- Eddy Nolan representing Quebec from Montreal
Running route start 51 Westminster north Mtl. West. Atelier Quartz Art Gallery around the corner from Sherbrooke West neat train station. Will run 13.1 miles East pass Big O and 13.1 miles back to Art Gallery.
No comments:
Post a Comment