Crossing Canada for Cancer

12 July 2024Suhana V, Alex ‘24

5,373 kilometers from Newfoundland to Thunder Bay, Ontario is exactly what Terry Fox covered in 143 days.

At only 18 years old, Terry Fox battled with osteogenic sarcoma (bone cancer) which led to his right leg being amputated 6 inches above his knee. Terry received a prosthetic leg and decided to commit to a run across Canada. Newfoundland to Ontario – he persevered through it all.

In appreciation of this commitment, the Brentwood community embarked on a small fraction of this journey to raise awareness for cancer. Each one of us knew someone, by distance or by blood, who battled with this condition. Hence, on Sunday, September 17th we all decided to wake up to the blazing heat and continue Terry’s heroic acts that, as a country, we still admire.

We all gathered on the field and by 10:30 the wind was gushing past our faces as we poured out of the Brentwood gates. Like sheep overcrowding the fields, we encapsulated the entire road and, as a team, we ran for the people we knew, the people we loved, and the people who struggled.

“I think knowing the reason I was running was the best motivation that I could have been given since I was pushed to wonder what Terry would do” observed Joshua F, Privett ‘24. Students were constantly aware of their intentions and actively reinforced this during their run.

Struggle can come through many forms when dealing with cancer. Many of us imagined this pain when we were running and this was seen through Elias F, Privett ‘24 who found the whole process “Very intense” when imagining that his own grandfather went through this terrible struggle. Hence, he opted to voice his support through this run and devoted it to his grandfather.

The support was not only shown by the runners but by B-Well reps as well! Sofia S, Alex ‘24 volunteered to help set up the run by organizing the stickers many students used to showcase who their support was dedicated towards. The “entire school had energy” and the support of everyone was a main driving force within this whole process. She added that “Everyone was cheering their friends on” and once again we witnessed this collaborative unit. In a way, it mirrors the support that Terry had when he was out on the highways of Canada and had hundreds of people cheering him on through the 42 km he religiously ran each day.

Some of us entered the run doubting how we would manage a 5k. I feel the one voice that lingered through our minds were the words of Terry Fox: “I just wish people would realize that anything’s possible if you try. Dreams are made possible if you try.”

Suhana V, Alex ‘24

Where Students Choose To Be