LINC Terry Fox Run - Learning and Solidarity
In September, learners at the downtown LINC location learned about Terry Fox. The writing below is from one of the learners in a 3/4 class.
“Terry Fox was a young Canadian hero. He lost one of his legs because he had cancer, but he was very brave.
Terry wanted to help other people with cancer. He started the “Marathon of hope” to raise money for cancer research. He ran across Canda with one artificial leg!
Terry ran for many days until he got sick again.
He died in 1981, but people still remember him.
We did the Terry Fox run in our class becaus we have childern in daycare. We tied one of our legs together in pairs and walked in the hallway with three legs. It was so much fun, and we also learned information about Terry Fox and his amazing story.”
Three other classes did the run outside. They took a route around a couple of blocks in downtown Abbotsford near the Archway Community Services buildings. The day of the run came with beautiful weather. It was a great day to get some fresh air for a good cause. The learners ran or walked — each doing so for someone they cared about.
Before they went for the run, they made dedications to family and friends on slips of paper. Many of these dedications were for those who had fought, or were fighting, their own battles with cancer. The dedications were displayed in the hallway near their classrooms, a reminder of why they ran and who they did it for.
This run held special meaning for many learners. Several of their dedications mentioned friends from English class who had been diagnosed with cancer—one of the reasons they began learning about Terry Fox and his “Marathon of Hope.” Through their dedications, they offered hope and strength to those friends. They ran as an act of solidarity and care, running alongside those fighting cancer to show their support.
Minor edits by Kendra Thompson.