I think that it would be fair to say that Terry Fox has made a difference. On April 12, 1980, Terry dipped his foot in the Atlantic Ocean and started his marathon of hope. His plan was to run across Canada and in doing so, raise $1000 000 for cancer research. We all know Terry's story. We know that he had been diagnosed with cancer, and lost his leg to the disease. What we don't often think about is what else he lost. Terry was an athlete through and through. Last year, we were lucky enough to be part of a virtual event, during which our students got to hear Terry's brother, Fred, speak. His brother talked about how, because he was small, Terry had to work harder than most to achieve his goals. He said that Terry didn't know the meaning of the word quit and never gave up. Fred Fox remembered being with Terry right before his surgery and saying, "why you, why should you get cancer?" This is a question that I am sure almost everyone who receives a diagnosis like Terry did, asks, "why me?". Fred recounted that this was not what Terry asked. In fact, Terry's response was "why not me?". As I reflect on that answer, I try and empathize with what Terry would have been going through. All his dreams had just been curtailed and he faced what would, I am sure have been a horrendous recovery. Yet he faced it with the same resolve he faced everything. According to Fred, he saw it as yet another challenge to be faced and overcome.

Terry did not dwell in self-pity, but rather was moved by what others were going through and wanted to make a difference. He knew that if he had been diagnosed only a few years earlier, his prognosis would have been bleak, but now there was hope. He knew that research and research dollars had created that hope and wanted to help out. He did what he knew, he decided to run. Albeit now with a prosthetic leg, Terry set his site not on a single marathon, but a daily marathon with the goal of running across Canada. He originally hoped to raise $1000 000, but after stopping in a community, which had raised $1 per member of their community, he changed his goal to raise $1 for every Canadian. Unfortunately on Sept 1, after 143 days and over 5700k Terry was forced to stop. Cancer had returned and was in his lungs. On June 28, 1981, Terry succumbed to cancer and passed away. His last thoughts regarding his marathon of hope were "If I don't make it...the Marathon of Hope must continue".

Continue it has, in the 42 years since his marathon began, Canadians from coast to coast have taken up where Terry left off. In those 42 years, the Terry Fox Foundation has raised $850 million dollars for cancer research. That is almost $25 per Canadian, or $35 per Canadian if we consider the population of Canada in 1980. We have taken up the torch, but the flame was lit by Terry himself. It is his resolve and his perseverance that inspire us, but also, I hope that his selflessness and his commitment to others also inspire us. Terry did not run for fame and personal fortune. In fact, he was ridiculed in many places at first. He ran exclusively for others. He wanted to give others hope. He wanted to make a difference for others. Although he had to stop running, he has inspired a nation to never stop running, to never stop hoping, and to never stop putting others before ourselves. One measure of the difference that Terry made can be seen in the Greatest Canadian television series, where the people of Canada selected who they thought was the greatest Canadian of all time. Terry came in second, a slim second to Tommy Douglas, the father of modern medicare. This is a high accolade, to say the least. Terry is one of our greatest heroes, whose life has certainly made an immeasurable difference for countless people. He has inspired us and through that inspiration raised funds that have moved cancer research forward, giving hope to the millions diagnosed every year. Once again this year, on Tuesday, we will walk as a school, we will walk for our family and friends who have been touched by cancer and we will walk with and for Terry.

8:55 - class bell rings.

9:00 - Oh Canada and morning announcements.

12:10 - lunch bell rings - grades K-3 eat and go outside at 12:30, grades 4-6 go outside and eat at 12:30

12:50 - lunch warning bell rings - students come inside

12:55 - class bell rings

3:05 - high school dismissal bell rings

3:25 - elementary dismissal bell rings

We will be happy to help you with all things hockey and answer any questions or help you register for the upcoming hockey season.

If your child of any age is interested in playing hockey or just learning to skate in our Learn 2 Skate program, we can help.

Once again, all players registering in minor hockey for the first time have free registration thanks to the Prosoils Youth in Motion program.

Come out to the PPCS foyer on Thursday, Sept. 22nd from 6:30-7:30 PM.

If you can't make it please contact us at ppmha@outlook.com