The Barriere community walked, ran, rode bikes and even brought a horse-drawn carriage at its annual Terry Fox run on Sunday, Sept. 16.
Kathy Cooper didn’t have final attendance yet but said, “if we can count the dogs and the horses, we probably have like close to a hundred.”
Cooper has been organizing the fundraiser with her sister Kristine Luison for the past 12 years.
“Well, Terry Fox is a Canadian hero. He’s a hero to our family,” said Cooper.
Kristine’s father-in-law passed away from lung cancer and she battled breast cancer. Kristine has been cancer free now for 10 years.
“The turnout was phenomenal,” said Cooper. “I love to see all the family and the young people, the generations that come out.”
She said her nephew, Dylan Luison, has been a part of the Terry Fox run since he was six-weeks-old and in a snuggly.
This was his 25th year participating.
“My mom had cancer when she was younger and I just want to support the cause in general because it affects so many people,” Luison said as he walked down Barriere Town Road, cars honking in support as they passed.
Walking alongside him was Kim Fennell, whose mother and mother-in-law both passed away because of cancer.
She, herself, is a cancer survivor.
“I just think it’s great that people come out, walk, run, bikes, strollers, everything and it’s just wonderful,” said Fennell.
“Our community is absolutely fabulous. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. There’s so much support here for everything.”
Cancer has touched many lives in Barriere.
Tami Myram said she walked for her mother-in-law, her stepmother-in-law, her father-in-law and herself.
She said the walk was great and everybody was very positive.
“The more positivity out there, the more people survive.”
Myram previously battled breast cancer but has been cancer-free for nine years now.
Bridgett Donnelly said she lost her father to throat cancer 35 years ago. She was walking for her brother-in-law, who is spending his last days in a hospice in England.
Judy Armstrong also lost her father to cancer when she was 24-years-old.
“It’s such a good, worthy cause that absolutely we want to be out here for,” she said.
Her mother, Peggy Armstrong, was the oldest person walking the route on Sunday. She is 98-years-old.
Sunday’s forecast called for rain, but instead, the sun shone over the crowd of participants and supporters.
