Terry Fox Run – the journey continues
Chris Abbott
Editor
The 46th annual Terry Fox Run for cancer research in Simcoe on Sunday has, so far, raised more than $12,000.
“Whether you are walking, running, rolling, cycling, volunteering, donating or cheering from the sidelines, you are part of something truly special,” said Maddy Thorpe, co-organizer of the 2026 Norfolk County Terry Fox Run during the opening ceremonies.
“Your support helps to continue Terry’s dream of a world without cancer,” said Thorpe, thanking all of the people gathered at Lions Park Sunday morning. “Together we gather as a community united by hope, determination and a shared commitment to making a difference.
“Today, Terry’s legacy continues to inspire millions of people across Canada and all around the world. Because of supporters like you, more than $1 billion has been raised worldwide for cancer research.”
Julie Putoczki of La Salette was the Norfolk County Terry Fox Run guest speaker.
“Standing here today as a breast cancer survivor is something you do not take for granted,” said Putoczki. “When you hear the words ‘you have cancer,’ your world changes in an instant. Today, however, I am here not only to speak about cancer, I am here to speak about hope, the strength we receive from others, and the difference cancer research continues to make.”
Putoczki shared her story – her journey – from fear and disbelief when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, to an aggressive chemotherapy regime, a new medication developed through cancer research and advances in treatment, mastectomy, nine more months of chemotherapy treatment, and finishing cancer treatments in March 2026 to ‘ring the bell,’ one of the most humbling, joyful and emotional experiences of her life.
“I wanted to remain positive, but I learned that being positive does not mean never feeling afraid. It means continuing to move forward even when you do not know exactly what lies ahead.
“My experience also taught me the importance of knowing your body, paying attention when something feels different, and speaking with a healthcare professional even when you believe there may be another explanation.”
During her second round of chemotherapy, she learned the medication she was taking was once used a last resort treatment when there were few other options.
“Researchers then discovered that it was extremely successful in treating my type of cancer and it became part of the regular treatment regime. That is what cancer research means to me. It’s not abstract. It’s not something that only helps someone far in the future. Research gave me medications that helped me tolerate chemotherapy, and treatments that improved my chances for a cure. I experienced its benefits first-hand.”
There were difficult days, she admitted, both physically and emotionally.
“Cancer taught me that the progress does not always look dramatic. Sometimes progress is taking one more step.”
Putoczki thanked her family and friends for being a source of strength throughout her journey, and the work of her medical/health team.
“Their support taught me that strength doesn’t mean always handling everything on your own. Sometimes strength means allowing other people to carry hope for you when you are having difficulty holding onto it yourself.”
Ringing the bell, she said, represented how far she had come, and it marked the beginning of another stage in her recovery, and the possibility of participating in cancer research, allowing her journey to come full circle.
“Cancer research gave me the gift of better treatments, now I may have the opportunity to contribute to research that could help someone else.
“One realization I wasn’t prepared for was that the end of the treatment wasn’t necessarily the end of the fight. Before treatment, you’re fighting for answers. In treatment, you’re fighting to get through to the next appointment and the next side effect the next day. Survivorship taught me that the fight simply changes.
“Cancer changes more than your body. It changes how you experience time because you stop assuming there will always be a later. It changes how you love people because you become deeply aware that nothing is guaranteed. It also changes how you see yourself because the person who enters treatment is rarely exactly the same as who walks out of it.
“Cancer taught me not to take ordinary days for granted. It showed me how much strength can be found in the people around us. It also taught me that being alive, and feeling fully alive are not always the same thing. For me, survivorship has been about learning to do both again, finding hope, joy and purpose along the way.
“This is why being part of Terry Fox Run is so meaningful to me. Terry Fox showed Canadians what courage, determination and hope could accomplish. He believed that a better future was possible and generations of Canadians have continued moving his dream forward.”
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Participants in Sunday’s Norfolk Terry Fox Run started their 1-km, 5-m or 10-km routes shortly after 11 a.m.
“We watched the weather all week, and there was a 70 per cent chance of rain, but I said, ‘It’s not going to rain,’” said co-organizer Carolyn Verhoeve. “Today, the sun’s out and I think we had a stronger turnout than I anticipated - we had a great turnout.”
Donations will continue to come in over the next few weeks. Donations can be made through the Terry Fox Run website – search for the Norfolk County Terry Fox Run page (run.terryfox.ca/129759).
“Turnout was very impressive today,” nodded Verhoeve, who also thanked all of the community volunteers, including former daycare kids now in high school, as the volunteers prepared the pom-poms, bubbles and air horn for the finish line.
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