Pleasant Manor residents have their own Terry Fox event

Residents of Virgil's Pleasant Manor honoured Terry Fox’s fight to raise money and awareness for cancer research by participating in the long-term care home’s first ever Terry Fox walk.

On Tuesday, Sept. 10, more than 20 residents took part in the route that took them from Elden Street to Penner Street and Four Mile Creek Road before returning to Pleasant Manor.

Fuelled by motivational Timbits and coffee, residents donated money and chatted with each other about their memories of Fox’s Marathon of Hope.

Joan King, who has organized Niagara-on-the-Lake’s Terry Fox run for many years, recently reached out to Pleasant Manor’s recreational supervisor, Olivia McConnery, to see if there would be any interest in residents participating in some way.

“Olivia jumped at the chance,” said King. “We’ve never had a Terry Fox presence here before and I am overwhelmed with the turnout.”

King provided a short documentary on Terry Fox’s accomplishments for residents who preferred to stay indoors.

Resident Agatha Loewen came out for the walk. “I saw Terry Fox in person when my husband and I were travelling up north,” she said. “Our kids, aged 10, nine, seven and five, noticed him first.” She said they were most impressed that he was running with one prosthetic leg. Loewen reflected that he must have been in a lot of pain. “I have sciatica and I can’t imagine what he went through.”

Lorraine, another resident of Pleasant Manor, came out to participate in the walk because she currently has two brothers in Montreal who are fighting cancer. “I give something every year, and this year I know people who really need the help,” she said.

Irene Wall said that personally, Terry Fox’s battle and determination meant a lot to her. “It was amazing, the runs he did.”  Fox ran 42 kilometres, the length of a marathon, nearly every day, and finished his 143-day journey having run a total of 5,373 kilometres, before he was forced to stop — his cancer had returned.

Niagara-on-the-Lake’s Terry Fox Run takes place this Sunday, Sept. 15 leaving from Simcoe Park. Registration starts at 9 a.m. and the run commences at 10 a.m. The route is accessible for walkers, runners, wheelchairs, rollerblades and bicycles.