Participants are still eager to run for cancer research even during a pandemic.
A student at Brock university, De’Audre Gooding participated in the 40th anniversary of the Terry Fox Run in Richmond Hill, Ontario. Gooding has two strong reasons for getting out Sunday.
“I have two family members that have cancer so I’m running for them,” Gooding said.
His mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in December, 2019. A month later she underwent chemotherapy treatments which lasted till July. Since then, Gooding’s mother has been recovering from the disease.
Terry Fox himself was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, which required the amputation of most of his leg. In 1980, Fox began the Marathon of Hope to raise a single dollar from each Canadian. Fox died of cancer at the age of 22 before he could accomplish his task. Today, organizations around the globe dedicate to his cause and have raised over $750 million for cancer research.
This year, with COVID-19 halting the economy and social distancing practices encouraged by government and health authorities, organizations are unable to hold large scale events like in previous years. This year’s Terry Fox Run was also different from what Gooding was used to.
“It’s not regularly but I used to do it high school, I used to do it six years ago when my cousin had it, ” Gooding said, recalling his cousin’s experience with breast cancer.
Like Gooding, many are still eager to support the run even with restrictions by social distancing. Harry Liang, 20, joins various charity events to raise money for various causes aside from cancer research. No one in Liang’s family has been diagnosed with cancer, but that did not stop him from volunteering where he can.
“Last year I took part in a charity that brought awareness to multiple sclerosis,” Liang said. His previous work helped raise more than a thousand dollars for various charities.
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Donations help charities fund cancer research. The Terry Fox Run alone has raised over $800 million. Many large gatherings have been cancelled to comply with social distancing guidelines, but individuals can still be found running in support.
“We haven’t been able to do anything but hopefully it’ll come back in the future,” Liang said.