Vern Hodgins, a native of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, made the journey to the Island to take part in the 45th Terry Fox Run on Sunday, which was held on the Confederation Bridge.
Having been inspired by Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope, Hodgins has been participating in these runs since he first learned about Fox’s story. As a former educator, he appreciated and shared Fox’s message of determination, courage, and hope with his students.
“I taught my classes about Terry Fox for years, emphasizing values like never giving up and having hope. I strongly believe in that message,” Hodgins expressed.
Wearing a red shirt symbolizing his personal battle with cancer, Hodgins joined over 10,000 other participants at the Confederation Bridge event. He explained that the red shirt signifies being a cancer survivor and shared that he has been wearing it since 2018 while undergoing chemotherapy for prostate cancer that has spread to his lower spine, limiting his ability to walk the full 13 kilometers of the bridge.
Despite his health challenges, Hodgins walked as far as he could before turning back. Since his cancer diagnosis, he has witnessed firsthand the impact of funds raised for cancer research.
“Being in the cancer buildings, talking to patients, nurses, and doctors, you see how the money raised is making a difference in research,” he noted.
The Terry Fox Foundation’s website reports that the Confederation Bridge run alone has raised over $820,000, surpassing the initial $500,000 target set the previous week, with organizers aiming to reach $1 million.
Hodgins expressed his joy at seeing the large turnout of participants at the event, especially the younger generation who are carrying forward Terry Fox’s legacy.
“The number of young people here is truly remarkable,” he remarked.
Having fulfilled his goal of participating in the Confederation Bridge run, Hodgins mentioned that it was on his bucket list, originally planned for 2020 before being canceled due to the pandemic.
