***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** Iconic Run raises £75,000 for cancer research in UK

● UK joined millions of worldwide participants in September 2020 ● Event marked 40th anniversary of Terry Fox’s historic ‘Marathon of Hope’ ● Almost 900 virtual participants from 60 communities in the UK, including Canadian and British diplomats, remembered the Canadian icon ● The event was staged in the UK for the first time in 13 years and was a resounding success

30 November 2020. The UK Terry Fox Association, the UK affiliate of Canadian cancer research charity The Terry Fox Foundation which has raised over £500 million through its iconic fundraising runs, is pleased to announce that it has raised more than £75,000 (C$130,000) thanks to the ‘virtual’ Terry Fox Run in the UK. Nearly 900 participants, from more than 60 communities in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Jersey took part on Sunday 20 September 2020.

Terry Fox, a 22-year-old athlete who lost his leg to osteogenic sarcoma, a rare bone cancer, made headlines in 1980 when he ran 3,339 miles over 143 days across Canada to raise awareness and money for cancer research.

Known as the ‘Marathon of Hope’, Terry had planned to run across the country, but he had to stop sooner than anticipated on September 1, 1980 as sadly the cancer had spread to his lungs. During the Marathon of Hope, he averaged a marathon a day every day, with a unique running style as he used a prosthetic leg. He died less than a year later after raising $24 million CAD, achieving his goal of raising $1 for every Canadian.

He’s now considered a Canadian hero and every year since 1981 Terry Fox Runs are held across Canada and in over 30 countries in his honour. While he was born in Canada, Terry’s paternal grandmother, Bertha Fox (née Shale) was born in Sunderland, England, so having the run return to a country of Terry’s heritage was an honour.

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Marathon of Hope, the UK joined millions of people participating in ‘virtual’ Terry Fox Runs in Canada and around the world for a run, walk or bike ride. With almost 900 participants and over 300 individual and corporate donors, this was an incredible result for an event which has not been held in the UK for 13 years.

The UK Terry Fox Association partnered with The Institute of Cancer Research, London (“ICR”), one of the world’s leading cancer research organisations, with an unparalleled record of academic excellence in cancer discoveries for more than 100 years. Partnering with the ICR means all the money raised for the UK charity stays in the UK for cancer research. Professor Chris Bakal, an Ambassador for the Terry Fox Run, leads the Dynamical Cell Systems team in the Division of Cancer Biology at the ICR. Chris, who was born in Canada, spent more than five hours cycling 180km on an exercise bike and raised almost £1,000.

The Terry Fox Run UK also received diplomatic support thanks to representatives and their families from the Canadian High Commission in London and the UK High Commission and Consulates-General in Canada, who, alongside the Canadian Armed Forces at CFB Suffield, Alberta, and UK Military personnel co-located at the British Armed Training Unit Suffield, also took part in the event. Dubbed the “Diplo-team for Terry”, 270 participants in both countries virtually ran twice the length of the UK, while the two countries’ servicemen and women ran a further 1,600 kms.

A long tradition in Canada sees schools across the country honour Terry Fox by raising money and organizing a Terry Fox School Run every September. This year, children at London-based Southbank International School also organized their own Terry Fox School Run, with over 300 children participating and raising over £9,000.

The Four Seasons Hotel Founder and Chairman, Isadore Sharp, started the Terry Fox Run in 1981 and historically the Four Seasons organized the UK runs. It was therefore a privilege to co-host the virtual run with the Four Seasons Hampshire and have their promotional support, along with the other two Four Seasons Hotels in London.

The UK Terry Fox Association would also like to thank our other promotional partners: The Canada-United Kingdom Chamber of Commerce, Newgate Communications, the Running Community, the Canadians in London Expat Group, the London Expat Canadian Meetup Group, the Canada-UK Foundation, and the Maple Leaf Sports Bar and Grill. In addition, we recognize the support from multiple Canadian University Alumni groups in the UK: Western, Queens, UBC, McGill, and the University of .

The Terry Fox Run UK was also well supported by the corporate community, with special thanks to Cenkos Securities, as our lead corporate supporter for 2020. Finally, we wish to acknowledge all our corporate supporters: The Bank of , DADCO Group and The Victor Dahdaleh Foundation, Trayport (a TMX Group company), William Pears Group, TD Securities, Duke Royalty Limited, McCarthy Tetrault and Canaccord Genuity.

Neil Johnson, Chair of the UK Terry Fox Association, said: “After a 13-year absence, it was great to bring the Terry Fox Run back to the UK. We were overwhelmed by the response from the British public, our diplomatic friends, our corporate supporters and the pupils at Southbank International School in particular. Terry has been an inspiration to Canadians who have been touched by cancer for 40 years now. We hoped that by launching the run in the UK, albeit virtually this year, we inspired and helped educate everyone in the UK about Terry Fox’s legacy and, in doing so, create positive change in the field of UK cancer research.

“Terry Fox once said, “Anything is possible if you try”. I think he would be proud of the flexibility and perseverance shown by everyone involved in ensuring that the run still went ahead despite the challenges posed by the pandemic. We hope to resume a traditional event in Battersea Park in September 2021.”

Professor Chris Bakal of the Division of Cancer Biology at The Institute of Cancer Research said: “It was an absolute honour to be part of this inspiring, and fun, event. It was truly in the Terry Fox spirit that we were able to overcome the challenges of being apart from one another to still make the event a big success! I can’t wait to see what we can do next year.”

HE Mrs. Janice Charette, High Commissioner for Canada in the United Kingdom, added: “We were so pleased to support the Terry Fox Run this year in the UK, and to get involved as part of the UK-Canada Diplo-team for Terry. Close to 80 Canada House staff and their family members participated – a solid foundation to build on for next year! I am really hopeful that now that the run is back in the UK, it will continue to grow in strength and numbers.

“The UK Terry Fox Association can certainly be assured of the renewed support of the High Commission of Canada in the UK in the future. It was a proud and heartwarming moment for all of us to embrace the positive legacy that Terry Fox left behind, and we look forward to once again contributing to the success of this important initiative in the years to come.”

Susan le Jeune d’Allegeershecque, the British High Commissioner to Canada, said: “This was a brilliant team effort by diplomats from the British and Canadian teams in the UK and across Canada and the British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS). We exceeded our targets, had fun and encouraged physical and mental well-being at this difficult time.

“We were delighted to see the Terry Fox Run UK back in action after 13 years and to support the Terry Fox Foundation in raising funds for cancer research. The collaboration is a reflection of the enduring closeness of the UK Canada relationship and the power of Terry Fox’s remarkable legacy in inspiring action.”

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For more information, please visit www.terryfoxrunuk.org, or contact:

UK Terry Fox Association Neil Johnson / Hugo Evans Tel: 020 3318 8036 Email: [email protected] Rob Brant Tel: 020 7786 5701