Belleville’s Terry Fox Run back on its feet

BELLEVILLE, Ont. (15/09/2013) — A woman runs at the Terry Fox Run for Cancer on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2013 at Zwick’s Centennial Park, Belleville, Ont. This is the 33rd year which Terry Fox Run is organized across Canada. The run hopes to raise awareness and give support to cancer patients and commemorate those lives which has taken away by cancer. Photo by Justin Chin

By Katy Burley

Vicki Samaras, 38, has participated in many volunteer events in the past, but the Terry Fox Run is the one that stands out in her mind.

Samaras has participated in the annual Terry Fox Run since 1996 at Ashbridges Bay Park in Toronto after finding a tumour in her neck. There was only a 50% chance the tumour was cancerous, but the fear alone was all it took for Samaras to take action. She was the same age as Terry Fox when the doctors discovered that the tumour was not cancer.

“I got to leave the hospital. Others don’t,” said Samaras.

In 2009, Samaras started participating in the Belleville run.

Approximately a month before the local 2012 Terry Fox Run, Samaras lost her father to lung cancer. The run for that year had been cancelled due to a lack of volunteers, but she was determined to participate anyways. Samaras went and completed the run site on her own, as well as donated $50 to the Terry Fox Foundation. She felt like more people should have wanted to be a part of the event.

“I felt like I let my dad down,” she said.

Samaras wanted to continue to show her support for her father, so she said she could either go back to the Ashbridges Bay run in Toronto or organize the run for Belleville.

“This is about not only the run, but celebrating his life,” said Samaras.

Distraught and disappointed about the cancellation of the 2012 Terry Fox Run, Samaras sent an email to the Terry Fox Foundation explaining her thoughts on the run and explained that she would like to organize the one for 2013.

Samaras said she really enjoys participating in the Terry Fox Run. She added that she takes joy in hearing stories of how Terry Fox has inspired people’s lives.

Samaras said she had small goals for her first year of organizing.

“If more than four people show up, and we raise more than $50, we win,” she said.

The turnout was much better than Samaras had expected. After she saw the turnout for this year, Samaras changed her goal. She would like to raise $10,000 for this year’s run. In an email, Samaras told media she helped the Terry Fox Foundation raise over $9,000. There were 186 participants this year.

Samaras said she plans to continue to organize the Belleville Terry Fox Run and hopes to double the results next year.

“Next year, I want hundreds of people,” she said.