For the first time ever the Terry Fox Run is to be held in Wales at Bellevue Park in Wrexham!
The news follows several years of successful UK events in London in honour of Canadian hero Terry Fox.
- Where: Bellevue Park, Wrexham (map)
- When: Sunday, 13 October 2024 – 12:00 15:00
How to take part in the Terry Fox Run
You can register now to run, ride, or walk 2.5k or 5k route around the park.
The iconic Terry Fox Run is free to enter, non-competitive and open to all. The goal is to raise funds for cancer research for The Institute of Cancer Research in the name of a true Canadian hero!
Leader of the Council, Cllr Mark Pritchard, said, “Whilst Wales has never held a Terry Fox Run, in the 1980’s to 2007 the Terry Fox Run was a staple in calendar across the UK. Now, for the first time in 44 years, Wrexham has embraced the Terry Fox Run!
“I’m pleased that Wrexham is leading the way in hosting this event in Wales and not only will this be an enjoyable day in one of Wrexham’s scenic parks it will raise money for cancer research in the UK.”
“I wish the organisers and those taking part a very successful and enjoyable day.”
Supporting discoveries to help cancer patients in Wrexham and around the world
The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) is one of the world’s most influential cancer research organisations. The ICR has an outstanding record of achievement dating back more than 100 years.
Researchers at the ICR provided the first convincing evidence that DNA damage is the basic cause of cancer, laying the foundation for the now universally accepted idea that cancer is a genetic disease.
Today the ICR is a world leader at identifying cancer-related genes and discovering new targeted drugs for personalised cancer treatment – therapies such as abiraterone, a prostate cancer drug used to treat hundreds of thousands of men around the world.
Professor Chris Bakal, Professor of Cancer Morphodynamics at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, was born in Canada and is an ambassador for The UK Terry Fox Association. Professor Bakal said, “Following Terry’s journey as I grew up small-town Canada, he inspired me to become a cancer researcher, and his perseverance and dedication drives our work in the lab.
“Terry also showed me that all of us can do something in the fight against cancer. Every step we make at a Terry Fox Run gets us one little bit closer to beating this disease by supporting cutting-edge cancer research.”
The organisers of the fundraising event, which exclusively supports The Institute of Cancer Research, London, is delighted to have the backing of the Canadian co-owner of Wrexham AFC Ryan Reynolds.
Who was Terry Fox?
Terry Fox was a 22 year old athlete who lost his right leg to a rare bone cancer, osteogenic sarcoma. Running on a prosthetic limb, he made headlines worldwide in 1980 when he ran 3,339 miles over 143 days, an average of a marathon a day, across Canada. He called it his ‘Marathon of Hope.’ Its purpose was to raise awareness and money for cancer research.
Terry had to stop his run when the cancer spread to his lungs, and less than a year later, he died. After he had to stop, his words were, “Even if I don’t make it, we need others to continue.”
He’s now widely considered a Canadian hero and every year since 1981, Terry Fox Run is held in more than 60 cities around the world. To date, more than £500 million has been raised for cancer research through these charity runs.
Take a look at the video below to see what you can expect if you take part in a Terry Fox Run:
Derbyniwch y newyddion a’r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf yn syth i’ch mewnflwch
