Thousands to participate in Terry Fox run on Sep. 14

New Delhi, Sep 9 : The Terry Fox Run will be held here at Karnail Singh stadium on September 14 to generate funds for cancer research.

Thousands of people, mostly schoolchildren, will take part in the run. Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and Canadian High Commissioner Joseph Caron will flag off the 3.5 km run.

The run is considered the largest single-day fund-raiser for cancer research in the world. People come together as individuals, families' schoolchildren and groups to raise money in Terry Fox's name.

The money generated from the run money will be handed over to the Rotary Cancer Hospital at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences for research on cancer affecting children.

The run is in the memory of Terry Fox who was diagnosed with bone cancer at 18, and he decided to run across the nation to generate funds for cancer research, calling his journey the 'Marathon of Hope'.

After running 143 days and covering 5,373 km, he was forced to stop as cancer affected the lungs and he passed away on June 28, 1981.

The run is being organised by Indo Canadian Cancer Research Foundation (ICCRF), which is open to all who can run, jog, walk, rollerblade, or choose any other means of non-motorised transport, said Gary Gareau, Chairperson of ICCRF.

The run was first held in 1981 and since then it has been a regular event worldwide. It is held in 32 countries of world annually.

In India it is held in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore. India stands fifth in raising funds for cancer in world through this run.

ANI