On September 17, 2023, the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute (GCI) participated in the annual Terry Fox Run. This event, a cornerstone in the fight against cancer, brings communities together to honor the legacy of Terry Fox and to contribute to cancer research.
A Tradition of Giving and Hope
Terry Fox lost his leg to osteogenic sarcoma at age 18 and found he could not ignore the suffering he witnessed in the cancer wards. Terry decided to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research in a Marathon of Hope. Through snow, rain, wind, heat, and humidity, Terry never gave up hope that Canadians would respond to his story, to his effort...and he was right. Canadians saw that Terry's determination was boundless. Terry passed away in 1981 at the age of 22, but his legacy was just the beginning. To date, over $850 million has been raised for cancer research in Terry's name through the annual Terry Fox Run, held across Canada and around the world.
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Fundraising with Purpose
Fundraising efforts began weeks in advance of the run, with dedicated GCI members and supporters. The Fundraising Coordinators of the Goodman Cancer Student Society, led by Capucine Magaut, successfully organized bake sales, a plant sale, and a charity raffle. "The Terry Fox Run fundraising initiative was on a tight schedule, but we made it! It was so fun to meet people with the plant and bake sales and share with them the enthusiasm. Also as a fundraising for cancer research, it was even more meaningful for us."
Joining Forces for a Common Cause
The GCI team is joined by cancer researchers from multiple Institutes and hospitals, led by Luisa Izzi, MOH-Q Project Manager for the Â鶹AV-affiliated sites: “We are so grateful to everyone who encouraged the TFRI-MOHQ team. Our team represents researchers from the GCI, the Â鶹AV Genome Centre, the CHUM, the RI-MUHC, the JGH and HMR working on sequencing genomes and bringing new therapies to patients. Funding from the TFRI allows us to come together and, hopefully, one day make Terry’s dream come true.”
Currently, six collaborative research projects at the GCI are funded by the TFRI, supporting our discoveries in cancer metabolisms, molecular pathways that drive malignancies, personalized medicine for patients, and much more.
Peter Siegel, Professor at the GCI and Co-lead of the TFRI-Oncometabolism team, leads his research team to understand the metabolic vulnerabilities of cancer supported by the TFRI: “The mission of the Terry Fox Foundation is critical in supporting research across Canada to better understand and treat cancer, including the work we do at the GCI. We all know people that have been affected by this disease, and I am grateful to everyone that continues to support the annual Terry Fox run and the aspirational goals set by Terry himself."
Julie St-Pierre, Professor at the University of Ottawa and Co-lead of the TFRI-Oncometabolism team with Prof. Siegel shares with us that “Our Oncometabolism Terry Fox team aims to understand the metabolism of cancer and aspire to uncover novel therapeutic options. Tackling a challenging problem like cancer requires team work.” Collectively, the TFRI-Oncometabolism team raised $5440 this year.
Continuing the Fight
The Terry Fox Run is more than just this run. “This run does have an amazing history of raising money for research, for our research teams that provide new hope for those with cancers that don't respond to existing treatments. But it's more than that, there is also the legacy of bringing people together year over year to remind us that we are all affected by cancer, that we are not alone and that we all need to come together if we are going to treat every patient and fight each cancer with everything we have,” shares Trina Johnson, Deputy Director of the GCI.
As we reflect on the success of the Terry Fox Run, we are reminded that progress in cancer research is only possible when we join forces. The GCI would like to thank everyone who contributed to this year’s Terry Fox fundraising initiatives.
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