Todd Wong speaks at the Chief Maquinna Elementary School Terry Fox Run.

Elementary Schools across Canada, all hold Terry Fox Runs.  Chief Maquinna held their run on September 12th, and invited cancer survivor Todd Wong to be a guest speaker. photo Alan Zisman

Every year I speak at elementary schools as a Terry's Team member cancer survivor.  This year I was invited to speak at Chief Maquinna Elementary by my friend, teacher Bill Hood.

It was a very inspiring day.  Ms. Wort is a teacher and a cancer survivor.  She led a group singing of a song about Terry Fox, written by a former principal. 

Anna Maria Nicolli-Mullet, principal of Chief Maquinna School introduced me.

I told the students about some of my experiences being a Terry's Team member, and some of the stories I have learned about Terry through his family, friends, and coaches.  I emphasized that before Terry attempted his run across Canada, he did his training firs – his homework so to speak.

I shared that after Terry first lost his leg to cancer he inspired other students, as he continued to shoot basketball and do his training by running on one leg, up to Simon Fraser University.

The Terry Fox Run school assembly at Chief Maquinna School – Ms. Wort is singing song about Terry Fox. – photo Todd Wong

Then I told them about my own cancer story, that I was diagnosed with cancer while I was a student at Simon Fraser University.  It was a very life-threatening tumor behind my breast bone.  I was hospitalized and spent 5 months on chemotherapy treatment.

And now, I have followed Terry's words, that “only takes one person to make a difference” in my efforts to do community service.

Next up was a Terry Fox video, titled “One Step at a Time” which features the Proclaimers song “500 Miles.”

Some grade 7 students went up on stage, and led a warm-up for all the students.
Following the warm-up, the students left the gym.  The primary kids (about 60 or so) do a run on the sidewalk around the school.  The intermediate kids run on the sidewalk around the perimeter of Clinton Park, at Slocan and 1st. They usually do a few laps.

During the run at Clinton Park, I met a young student named David who is a leukemia survivor.  I showed him my Simon Fraser University Terry Fox Gold Medal and we read the inscription “For Courage.”

DONATE TO THE TERRY FOX RUN

Please support the Terry Fox Run by participating yourself, or making an on-line donation
go to www.terryfoxrun.org/english/donations/donate/default.asp?s=1

RUN in the TERRY FOX RUN

There are many run sites in the Metro Vancouver area.

Vancouver – Ceperley Park at 2nd Beach, Stanley Park 10am
Vancouver UBC – Camosun Park, 16th Avenue & Discovery 10am
West Vancouver – Ambleside Park – 9am
North Vancouver – Inter River Park on Premier St 10am
Richmond – Garry Point Park – 10:00 AM
Burnaby – Swangard Stadium Terry Fox Route, Central Park – 9am
North Delta – Sun God Arena, in front of pool, 112 Avenue & 79 Street – 10am
New Westminster – Queen's Park
Port Moody – Port Moody City Hall 10am
Tsawwassen – Rotary Square, Town Centre Mall 9am
Port Coquitlam “Home Town Run” Hyde Creek Community Centre, 1379 Laurier, Port Coquitlam 10am