thank you Stouffville! we raised more than $83,000.00!

Did you know Terry was actually a real person mom? And not a fox?

These were the excited and somewhat comical words from our daughter, coming home from kindergarten one afternoon. They had been learning about Terry Fox in school and she was very excited to tell us about him.

A few years ago, we visited mile 0 in St. John’s Newfoundland – the kids already knew everything about him and his marathon of hope and the important work and research he has inspired.

The kids practiced their sprints running around the statue and we took a few pictures. While we recognized how much of an impact Terry made on cancer patients’ lives, we did not fully understand how necessary that hope was until we needed it ourselves. At that moment, we didn’t know that cancer would take a front seat in our family and that everything was going to change in just a few short years.

This is Andrea’s story. (She’s here somewhere but doesn’t like the attention so I won’t point her out).

Andrea always lived a healthy lifestyle. She was active, with a love for travelling, photography and running. In 2012 we started a family and she took on the roll of loving wife and mother, with a set intention of inspiring a healthy lifestyle for her two young children and a not quite middle aged man (who definitely needed some guidance).

Cancer, however turned her world, our world, upside down. We didn’t know it yet but by the Fall of 2021. Everything HAD changed. She began to feel bloated and extremely tired. It’s the pandemic, we thought. We were all kind of feeling it. And Life went on.

In January 2022, she started having sudden and intense abdominal pain. Countless trips to the ER had us fearing the worst. And our biggest fear was realized in early April. Cancer. On April 22nd, at the age of 44, while in surgery to remove a suspected ovarian tumour, she was diagnosed with incurable stage 4 colon cancer. It had metastasized throughout her body and she’d barely had any symptoms or warning until it was too late. In what felt like the blink of an eye – our world as we knew it had fallen apart.

Chemotherapy began on June 1st and since then our life has been busy with medical appointments, second opinions, and adjusting to a very different life and reality.

Since her diagnosis, Andrea has done what she can to speak about the vulnerability of the disease, the importance of enjoying present moments in life, and signs and symptoms of colon cancer. Colon cancer cases in young adults are on the rise and if she hasn’t told you to get a colonoscopy yet – she likely will at some point.

We are blessed to have an amazing support system with friends and family and within our community. Somebody to watch the kids for appointments or if we have to race off to the ER in the middle of the night. Dinners or flowers dropped off at the front door. Somebody to talk with over coffee. The support has been immense – just take note of our team here today. They are amazing and keep us hopeful and feeling loved.

We also feel immensely proud and grateful to support and be involved with the Terry Fox Foundation. Not only does Terry’s story give Andrea courage and hope – it is a constant reminder to her, especially on her hardest days, to not give up. The funds contributed today – by those supporting from all over the world, allow for that.

Terry’s story gives the all too high number of cancer patients a reason to fight. His journey helps loved ones get through difficult times, giving them faith that their mother, father, sister, brother, or friend will get better. Whether they know it or not, he has touched the lives of every single Canadian with his courage, perseverance, and dedication to a very important cause. Not enough people realize how critical this cause is until it’s too late. He has created an untouchable legacy, with the Terry Fox Foundation having raised over $850 million, funding over 1,300 cancer research projects.

We need continuous Hope that one day we will find a cure, or funding for new targeted treatments that can change the circumstance of survivors, or that one day earlier detection will be possible. We hope that, one day, nobody will have to suffer from this unforgiving disease.

Remembering Terry, you know that person, who wasn’t a fox, gives us hope. Donating to organizations like the Terry Fox Foundation gives us hope. And we know it’s making a difference. If you’ve already donated, thank you. If you haven’t, don’t wait for your ‘everything’ to change for you to make a difference.