Terry Fox Run brings Terry's CAUSE to campus

His is a name that’s known nationwide – and now, the Dal community has the chance to add a new chapter to his long Canadian legacy.

This Sunday, Dal will host Terry’s CAUSE on campus, part of the National Terry Fox Day specifically for universities and colleges. Students, faculty and staff from across Canada will be taking part in 5 km run/walks to honour Terry Fox and remember his Marathon of Hope by raising funds for cancer research.

The Dal route will surround Halifax’s Studley campus. There’s no minimum donation required in order to enter, and all of the funds collected will go towards cancer research. Dalhousie Student Services—including the Co-Curricular Record Office, Athletics and Recreation Services, and Student Health Promotion—is organizing the event locally.

“I think it is a very unique opportunity for the students to be involved in an event on campus that is a national initiative,” says Katya Sodamin, part of the organizing committee with Athletics. “This is the first 5K event to take place entirely on Dalhousie's campus and it's for an admirable cause. Events like this one provide an excellent opportunity to bring the entire Dalhousie community together.”

The vast majority Dal students weren’t even born when Terry Fox launched his Marathon of Hope in 1980, but there’s hardly a Canadian who hasn’t heard of Fox’s quest to raise attention and funds for cancer research by crossing the country on foot, despite his artificial leg. Notably, Fox was a university student himself at the time of the Marathon of Hope: he was actually a varsity athlete on Simon Fraser basketball team when he was diagnosed with the bone cancer that resulted in the amputation of his right leg.

This is the first year for the Terry’s CAUSE event, but the Terry Fox Foundation has been raising funds for cancer research since 1981 — more than $600 million total. The schools participating in Terry’s CAUSE include Simon Fraser University, University of Toronto, Carleton University, Queen’s University, McMaster University, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Dalhousie University, University of Calgary, and Western University.

The run begins at 1 p.m. on the Studley quad in front of Studley gymnasium, and will be followed by a cool-down yoga exercise. So come out – it’s a great opportunity to take part in a proud tradition!

More information

• Terry's CAUSE on campus website
• Register for Dal's Terry's CAUSE event
• "Like" Dal Student Health Promotion on Facebook for event updates