Students in Ottawa and across Ontario will be participating in the fourth annual Terry Fox National School Run Day, helping to raise funds for the Terry Fox Research Institute’s (TFRI) new lung cancer prevention initiative.
Lisgar Collegiate Institute is planning a traditional walk/run event that is taking place along the Rideau Canal.
Social science teacher Scott Barker is spearheading the project and says that the response from students so far has been great.
“I think it’s a worthy cause that really strikes a cord with the student community,” says Barker.
It’s Lisgar’s third time participating in the run after taking part in the 2005 event on Parliament Hill.
“It was fantastic to see all the schools gathered there,” says Barker of the first National School Run Day.
The school raised 6,660 dollars for the Terry Fox Foundation last year and hopes to beat that goal this year.
“It gives me goose bumps to see how active and involved [the students] are,” said Gerri Southcott, cancer survivor and co-chair of the Ottawa Terry Fox Run.
Over 3,700 schools in Ontario are planning runs and other creative alternative activities.
Funds raised will support a new nationwide lung cancer detection study that was launched by the TFRI recently.
The initiative involves 2,500 current and former smokers in seven cities across Canada.
“This is an international first,” says Dr. Victor Ling, founding scientific director of the TFRI.
Lung cancer is now the leading cause of cancer death in Canada and around the world, killing 20,000 Canadians each year.
Lead researchers for the study, Dr. Stephen Lam and Dr. Ming Tsao say that early detection and treatment of lung cancer is the most promising way to reduce lung cancer mortality.
Lisa Armstrong, Ontario school development officer for the Terry Fox Foundation says she is excited the funds from the National School Run Day for the first time will go to the TFRI, established in October 2007.
Ling stressed the school runs are “particularly important” in helping fund the TFRI.