The Greater Essex County District School Board will hold a system-wide event on Thursday to celebrate the legacy of Terry Fox and continue his Marathon of Hope.
Specialist High Skills Major Health and Wellness and Student Senate students representing 13 high schools across the region will take part in the event at Sandwich Secondary School in Windsor.
It's the first system-wide event in support of the Terry Fox Foundation at the school board to support cancer research, raise awareness, and develop students as leaders.
"Seeing the collective efforts of our students and staff in honour of Canadian hero Terry Fox will be incredibly meaningful for me, my colleagues, and our community," said Vicki Houston, the Chief Executive Officer of the public school board. "It is always powerful to see the impact our students can have when they come together around a shared purpose."
The school board has calculated that if each participating student runs 12 laps around the Sandwich Secondary School track, the combined distance will represent the remaining kilometres Fox had hoped to run from Thunder Bay to the Pacific Ocean.
"The Terry Fox School Run is about empowering young people to make a difference, and this event is a remarkable example of that spirit in action," said Director of School Run Operations with the Terry Fox Foundation, Lisa Armstrong. "With a shared fundraising target of $40,000, secondary students across the Greater Essex County District School Board are demonstrating the compassion, determination, and leadership that continue to keep Terry's dream alive."
The board is also welcoming Fred Fox, Terry Fox's older brother, the captain of Canada's National Para Hockey Team, Tyler McGregor, and Dr Caroline Hamm, a Windsor oncologist who works with the Terry Fox Research Institute.
