A cancer survivor and former cancer caregiver has been named the Honourary Chair for the 45th Terry Fox Run in Prince Albert.
Liane Vance, the wife of the late Bruce Vance, said she was humbled to be selected as Chair and recalls the events around Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope in 1980.
“It’s a real honour,” Vance said. “In 1980 I was a teenager in high school and I remember watching it on the black and white TV at home on the farm. (It was) on the news and everything.”
Vance grew up around Mossbank and was amazed by Fox.
“At that time I was just like, ‘wow, I can’t believe that that he’s that he’s doing this’,” she remembered. Liane met Bruce, who was from Ontario, in Medicine Hat, Alta. In 1987, the pair drove to Bruce’s hometown around Toronto. Liane said Bruce made sure they stopped in Thunder Bay to see the monument honouring Fox’s efforts.
Bruce, who passed away in 2026, was the Honourary Chair for the Terry Fox Run in 2022.
“He met Terry Fox and it’s just it’s kind of a nice way for me to also honour Bruce,” Liane said.
Liane has been a cancer survivor and caregiver. She said this year’s theme of “Finish It” would have resonated with Bruce.
“That would be definitely something that Bruce would say as well. Just finish it, get it done,” Liane said.
She said number of years have been tough for the family. She just finished her cancer treatments near the end of 2019, but Bruce was diagnosed with cancer a few months later in July 2020.
“He dealt with that and Chemo and all that sort of stuff and the pain for four and a half years,” she said.
“I was diagnosed in 2018, so yeah, it’s been kind of tough for a number of years.”
She said the family has persevered and added that Terry Fox’s message is that there is always hope.
“Bruce was in Hospice care (at the Rose Garden Hospice) for a few months before he passed away and Vern (Hodgins) had the big Hope sign that he made and he put it outside the Hospice,” Liane said.
“That was pretty cool…. I took a picture of Bruce in on that in front of that hope sign, so that was cool,” she added.
Liane said Bruce’s impact is still being felt. For example, when the Softball World Cup was in Prince Albert in June the committee declared Bruce Vance Day.
“He did a number of things for the community and a lot of things were sports related,” she said. “But, a lot of things he did weren’t sports related that people may not know as much about: The Terry Fox Run and Relay for Life. We were both on the Relay for Life Organizing committee for a few years.”
Liane has not put together a formal team for the Terry Fox Run but that does not mean fundraising is not a priority.
“Right now I’m a team of one but I have a lot of support from my team at Conexus,” she said. “Lots of people there are supporting me with the donations.”
Liane said there are a number of reasons to take part in the Terry Fox Run.
“It’s good exercise and it’s nice to be part of the community. Another thing is Terry Fox, he’s a Canadian hero and so much has been done through the Terry Fox Run (and) through his Foundation to support research for cancer. Every little bit helps,” she said.
She also noted the importance of the event for cancer survivors and family members.
“It’s a time for reflection, but also it’s a time for celebration because there are lots of people who have beat cancer,” she said. “I mean Bruce he was able to extend his life because of lots of research that has been done for the all the different treatments that that were offered him, and the same for me as well.”
The Terry Fox Run for cancer research takes place on Sunday, Sept. 14. Participants can walk, jog, run or wheel and can also choose the distance they want to go, 2, 5 or 10 km. A route will be marked out starting at the Alfred Jenkins Field House with a group start at 1:00 pm. Register between noon and 1 p.m. Register today at www.terryfoxrun.ca and start collecting pledges/donations now. The goal is to raise $15,000. Cancer survivors or patients can join Terry’s Team at www.terryfoxrun.ca.
As well on Saturday, Sept. 6 is the Terry Fox Relay at the Harry Jerome Track from 4 p.m. until 5 p.m. the annual fundraiser features a relay competition between the Prince Albert Police Service, Parkland Ambulance and Prince Albert Fire Department.
“I’m really honoured to be the Honourary Chair,” Liane said. “I’m a survivor, I’m a caregiver, and also my mom and my sister died from cancer, so it’s pretty impactful.”
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
