In 1980, Terry Fox set out to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. He had lost a leg to cancer, but ran thousands of kilometres before the disease forced him to stop. Terry died the following year at age 22. His Marathon of Hope continued without him: the first Terry Fox Run was held in 1981, and schools across Canada have carried on the tradition ever since.
At St. Michaels University School, all three schools honoured Terry’s legacy this September, with students also supporting the broader fight against cancer in different ways.
The Junior School held its run on Sept. 25 after watching a video about Terry Fox’s life and Marathon of Hope. When the weather prompted a change from the planned route at Lafayette Park, students stayed close to campus and raced around the grass field instead. Dressed in their house colours, they brought donations totalling $748 for cancer research—a meaningful contribution from the school’s youngest students as they learned how their own actions could help others.
On Sept. 28, the entire Middle School community ran laps of the Richmond Campus. The run followed weeks of student-led fundraising. Some students went out with friends to collect donations in their neighbourhoods, while a friendly challenge between TAG homeroom classes encouraged everyone to contribute in whatever way they could. Grade 6 students showed particular initiative, with one student raising more than $1,000 on his own.
The Middle School set a fundraising goal of $13,500 and has already raised $18,388, exceeding its goal by more than $4,800. Donations are being collected until Friday, Oct. 2, so that total may grow.
Senior School students honoured Terry Fox through runs in their PE classes while directing their fundraising efforts toward Cops for Cancer’s Tour de Rock, which supports pediatric cancer research. The two initiatives share a commitment to helping people affected by cancer. On Oct. 2, Tour de Rock riders will visit campus to speak with Middle and Senior School students.
Last year, students across all three schools raised more than $13,000 for the Terry Fox Run. This year’s Middle School total alone has surpassed that mark. From the Junior School’s donations to the Middle School’s neighbourhood fundraising and the Senior School’s support for Tour de Rock, students are discovering the many ways they can contribute to a shared cause.
