Join the fight against cancer on Sept. 20

Shelley Weiler, coordinator of the Terry Fox Run in Tillsonburg, was promoting the Sept. 20th event at the Tillsonburg Tri-County Fair. (Chris Abbott Photo)

Chris Abbott, Grant Haven Media

This year’s Terry Fox Run in Tillsonburg on Sunday, Sept. 20, starts at the Tillsonburg Soccer Park, 275 Quarter Town Line.

“We’ll be posting the routes, closer to the date, on our Facebook page so everyone can ‘take a look,’” said Tillsonburg coordinator Shelley Weiler.

Volunteers have been out in the community promoting the Terry Fox Run, including booths at the Tillsonburg Tri-County Fair and the Tillsonburg Farmers Market. On Saturday, August 22 they held a Tragically Hip ‘CBC watch party’ at The Copper Mug with donations going to Tillsonburg Terry Fox.

Local Terry Fox Run volunteers will also be at the Farmers Market (Bridge Street West) from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, August 29th, Sept. 5th, and Sept. 12th. Volunteers will be promoting the event, selling special 2026 Terry Fox Run T-shirts ($30 each), and accepting donations.

“If anyone wants a committee member to speak to an organization, or at an event, we are happy to do that,” said Weiler.

On-site registration for the Terry Fox Run on Sept. 20 begins at 9:30 a.m. at the Tillsonburg soccer park pavilion. Opening ceremonies are at 10 a.m., immediately followed by the run. Of course, most participants walk. Some ride bikes, ride in strollers, or have in-line skates. It’s your choice.

“We’re going to have some of the same activities – STUNT’s musical tribute, there will be pizza (for participants), a kids’ craft zone, face painting, and last year we added a cake for the anniversary, so we’re going to continue that tradition. We will be doing some stretching (warmup) before we head out - we have a physiotherapist from Attain Health. Robyn Michaud is going to do the land acknowledgement this year, which I am really excited about.

“It’s been a challenging few years for many people in our community, and we’re really aiming for this year’s run to feel like a celebration - a chance for families, neighbours, and supporters to come together for something hopeful and uplifting,” Weiler said. “The festive atmosphere, live music, kids’ activities, and the spirit of Terry’s legacy all contribute to a day that feels genuinely positive.”

Online registration can be completed at run.terryfox.ca - type Tillsonburg in the search box and you will be taken to a link for the local 2026 run page (run.terryfox.ca/129618).

Last year’s Tillsonburg Terry Fox Run raised $39,500 for the Terry Fox Foundation, which was in the ‘Top 20 per capita’ in Canada, with nearly 200 participants.

As of Monday morning, $2,503 has been raised toward their goal of $20,800. Cailey Coderre, on Monday, was the top fundraiser so far registering $633.

“Online is the majority – about 90 per cent of our donations are done online now,” said Weiler. “We do have some fundraisers, like Joe Kramer, who takes donations at Sobeys for almost an entire month and does it to honour his brother (Jim), who bring in cash.”

Fundraising is not a competition, Weiler stressed, but she said some people really like the competitive aspect, especially against other run sites.

The Terry Fox website highlights teams, and many individual donations, recognizing their support.

“The best thing to do is to register online if they can,” said Weiler, noting that will help volunteers on-site. “If they want to register in advance, we would love it.

“Even just sharing one of our Facebook posts would be amazing. Help us get the word out.”

Weiler dedicated to cause

Weiler has been coordinating the Tillsonburg Terry Fox Run for the past seven years.

Over the years she has learned several ‘best practices’ from the Terry Fox Foundation and other run organizers.

“One thing that I found impressive was to really focus on teams, and to support the team experience. Keeping that in mind, last year we had a goal to create a community team, a business team, and a sports team… to really pull these people in, because the team building you get from a Terry Fox Run is unbelievable. It really promotes community spirit. It’s really, really nice when you can have a team and everyone’s working together.”

Currently four local teams have registered online – Inovata Foods, Hill’s Pharmacy, Systemair Community Cares, and Walker-Piette.

Another best practice was designing Terry Fox ‘door hangers,’ allowing them to reach out to brand new neighbourhoods with a personal touch… without actually knocking door-to-door.

“We wanted to welcome new residents in our town to this event, and that’s been really outstanding for us. Hanging an invitation on their doors, that’s been really, really nice, and it’s allowed us to grow a little bit.”

The number of Terry Fox volunteers in Tillsonburg has been consistent in recent years.

“I definitely could not do this without a huge group of people,” said Weiler, who has a core group of about 10 on Tillsonburg’s Terry Fox Run organizing committee. “There’s no way.

“We’d love to have more,” she smiled.

“Anyone interested can reach out directly on our Facebook page (@TillsonburgTerryFoxRun), through email (shelleyimbeault@hotmail.com) or through the Terry Fox web site.”

They also have a large group of run-day volunteers – usually between 35-50, depending on the routes.

“It’s nice for the high school students – it’s one day, it’s fun – and all these kids grew up with the Terry Fox Run.

Last year’s routes changed a bit due to construction in the area. This year they are back to their ‘usual route.’

“My husband (Jason) rode his bike around this year to check. I think this is the first year since I’ve been organizing that there is no construction, no sidewalk closures… anything.”

Participants will have three route options – up to 3-km, 5-km and 10-km. It’s rain or shine. Only lightning can cancel the event, for safety reasons.

“If that happens, we’ll all hang out together at another time.”

The Terry Fox story

Terry Fox chose a path of perseverance and positive action when he was diagnosed with bone cancer, and had his leg amputated three days later, at the age of 18.

His experiences in the hospital, and the children he met there, were a driving force behind his determination to raise money for cancer research. After 18 months of training, Terry embarked on his Marathon of Hope, and 45 years later his legacy continues across Canada and internationally. Over $1 billion has been raised since the run began.

Terry’s dream was a world without cancer, and his remarkable example has inspired millions of people to take up the torch and carry on in his name.

The first Terry Fox Run in Tillsonburg was held in 1989 and it has raised over $450,000 over the years.

Funds raised at the Terry Fox Run go to the Terry Fox Foundation and the Terry Fox Research Institute (TFRI), which share Terry’s vision. Their mandate is to ‘fund and pursue innovative research to find new and better ways to detect, diagnose, treat, and prevent all cancers.’

From a personal standpoint, Weiler recalls joining a cancer research project to get treatment when she was about 5 years old.

“That was the only way I could get radiation treatments actually. It was brand new.”

She was diagnosed with Stage 4 Wilms Tumor (kidney cancer) in February 1980, just months before the first Marathon of Hope.

“I was placed in a study, and it effectively saved my life. I would not be here today without it. The Wilms Tumor treatment plan for children at that time was surgery, two years of chemotherapy, and once radiation was finally approved for children in Canada, then it was another two years of radiation.

“Now, they may or may not have to remove the kidney. They may or may not have to do chemotherapy. And it’s usually only two sessions of radiation, for a total of six weeks.

“So that’s the difference that research makes over the years.”

Terry Fox helped put a ‘face on cancer’, said Weiler.

“At the time I was diagnosed, I didn’t know anyone that had cancer.”

This year’s Terry Fox Run theme is Finish It, which will continue until the 50th anniversary.

- with files from by Robin Krafft.