The 45th Terry Fox Run in Prince Albert saw a dramatic increase in fundraising.
The 2025 edition began at the Alfred Jenkins Fieldhouse on Sunday afternoon. The event saw 114 runners raise an unofficial total of $35,180.15, which was an increase over last year’s total of $33,720.80.
Cancer survivor Honourary Chair Liane Vance and Emma Huet carried the Terry Fox Run flag to Ninth Avenue before letting walkers and runners’ pass. Runners and walkers could take either the 2K, 5K or 10K routes.
Shelley Mitchell, the mother of cancer survivor and advocate Chelsea Mitchell, was in her first year as co-chair of the Terry Fox Run.
“I’m totally looking forward to it,” Shelley said. “It’s big shoes to fill, for sure. We have a big team this year, a lot of volunteers. It’s really amazing. The community is certainly coming together to help me do this.”
Mitchell said before the run that registration looked great and the weather seemed to be holding out after a gloomy start to Sunday.
“I was really worried about the weather, but it looks like it’s going to be a beautiful day and it shouldn’t start raining till three is what I’m hoping,” she said.
Longtime committee member Vern Hodgins was expecting to miss his first Terry Fox Run ever but had a change in plans which allowed him to be in Prince Albert.
“He wasn’t supposed to be here, but he is here,” Mitchell said. “He just wants to stay in the background a little bit, but we’re so blessed to have him and Chris (Ferchuk).”
This was Hodgins 45th Terry Fox Run. Ferchuk was also in his 45th year. Hodgins thanked Shelley and Chelsea for all that they did to make the walk run smoothly.
Since recovering, Chelsea and her family have taken part in the Prince Albert Relay for Life. Each year she takes part in the Small But Mighty Walk in Saskatoon and this year it landed the day before the Prince Albert Terry Fox Run.
The Mitchell family were among the many runners and walkers who came out to raise money and celebrate the legacy of Terry Fox.
The event was looking like a success before it even began.
“It looks like a beautiful day and we’re actually ahead of where we were last year already and we haven’t even had the run, so it’s amazing,” Mitchell said. “Money is still coming in and it’s beautiful.”
The registration was scheduled to begin at noon and people were lined up well ahead of time.
“It was actually more like 11:30 that people were here, but that’s okay. We welcome them, so we were ready,” Mitchell said.
On April 12, 1980, the then 22-year-old Fox dipped his artificial leg into the Atlantic Ocean and began his trek across the country. He averaged 42 km a day through six provinces.
Fox was forced to stop running on Sept. 1 in Thunder Bay, Ont. when cancer spread to his lungs.
On Saturday, Coun. Darren Solomon brought greetings on behalf of the city. Honourary Chair Liane Vance spoke before the walk and talked about being a cancer survivor and caregiver.
“It’s amazing to have Liane,” Mitchell said. “Bruce will never be forgotten for all that he’s done for this community and Liane continues to do that for herself and for everyone else that is affected by cancer so we are blessed to have her as our Honourary Chair.”
There were several members of Terry’s Team in red shirts including Hodgins, former honourary chair Dennis Ogrodnick, Chelsea Mitchell, and Liane Vance.
The Prince Albert run took place at Little Red River Park when it first began. In later years, the event moved to City Hall, the Harry Jerome Track and the Alfred Jenkins Fieldhouse.
Fundraising will continue with an online auction that is open until Sept. 25.
“We had some community organizations that donated some amazing prizes so we thought, ‘let’s do an online auction.’ I think it’s appropriate to have a thousand dollar lawn or snow removal as a door prize. We had some really big prizes,” Mitchell said.
According to the Terry Fox Foundation, more than $850 million has been raised for cancer research.
Mitchell said that the event could not have happened without the sponsors who she said were too numerous to list.
“Thank you to all our sponsors and our volunteers that showed up this year to make this possible. I could not do it by myself,” Mitchell said.
Michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
