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With a prosthetic leg, a van in close pursuit and more determination than an Olympic hero Terry Fox began his Marathon of Hope.
Fox’s goal was to run from coast to coast across Canada raising money and awareness for cancer research. With a small limp and a huge heart, he completed a marathons each day along the Trans-Canada Highway while making stops at schools and other public events to gain support for his cause. Cancer took his leg before his trek began and that same awful disease appeared in his lungs forcing his journey to end near Thunder Bay, Ontario.
While Fox is no longer with us physically and has not been for a generation now, if you ask any Canadian grade school student what they are doing one afternoon in late September the answer will not be attending class; they will be running in the Terry Fox run, a run which now raises millions annually. And to think that it all began when Fox took a few strides out his front door.
Many people think of running as great exercise, but it seems today that such an activity achieves much more.
Running gives people a chance to clear their heads. I find that I do some of my best writing while out for a jog on a brisk morning. In addition to these benefits, races are sprouting up across the country where people enter with a larger goal than running a personal best time or winning.
Races such as the Komen breast cancer run, the Colorado AIDS run, the Cherry Creek Sneak and now the Campus HIV/AIDS run are giving people the chance to participate in a fun activity, get some exercise and help out a great cause.
Last Sunday the first annual Campus HIV/AIDS run/walk was held in Washington park to kick off the HIV/AIDS awareness week at DU. While many may have peeked out the window to see the mixture of rain and sleet and decided to turn off the alarm, a group of students and community members crawled out of bed to support a good cause and go for a run.
We waited near the registration tent long after picking up our T-shirts all huddled together. It was a gorgeous day for a run, just not a great day to stand around waiting for the starters signal. Many were adding layers, a decision they would soon regret shortly after the run began.
A damp cold filled the air almost tempting some to run just to stay warm and then run the five kilometre course. I took the route of jumping up and down while my hands were enclosed by the sleeves on my shirt. And just then, as the starter began muttering the countdown, the sleet stopped and the sun peeked through the clouds. A blessing to many, but that just ruined our perfect running conditions.
Some ran, some walked, some strolled and some paced with strollers, but all were out raising money and awareness to help people living with HIV and AIDS.
At the end of the run a representative from a Colorado HIV/AIDS group, informed competitors that they will receive less money this year from the national branch; money that we raised will help people living with HIV or AIDS.
Fifty years ago to the day, the first vaccine was administered for polio.
Today, thanks to athletic events, we are helping people living with HIV/AIDS to improve their lives and hopefully one day children or grandchildren around the world will be asking what HIV/AIDS is or learning about it in Magic Johnson’s autobiography.
