Nelson Waddell sets out on the Terry Fox Run with his grand-daughter Kaitlyn and his great-granddaughters Hailey and Harper. FRED SHERWIN PHOTO

This year marked the 45th anniversary of Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope and the 35th anniversary of the Terry Fox Run in Orléans and 83-year-old Nelson Waddell has taken part in every one of them going back to the very first Terry Fox Run held in Ottawa in 1981.

Since that very first Terry Fox Run Waddell has personally raised over $135,000 for cancer research, including more than $4,100 in the run-up to this year’s event.

Waddell took part in this year’s run with his granddaughter Kaitlin and his two great-granddaughters Hailey, 9, and Harper, 6.

“It’s important that we keep the legacy go-ing and find a cure for this dreaded disease,” says Waddell, whose wife and daughter both have had their own battles with cancer.

Waddell was captivated by Terry Fox and his Marathon of Hope as the 20-year-old amputee from Winnipeg made his way through the Maritime Provinces and Quebec through the spring and summer of 1980.

Fox eventually had to end his attempted run across Canada near Thunder Bay on
Sept. 1, 1980 after finding out that his cancer had returned and spread to his lungs.

Despite the best efforts of his doctors, Fox’s condition continued to worsen over the next 10 months and on June 28, 1981 he passed away just four weeks short of his 23rd birthday.

Within days, Four Seasons hotel founder Isadore Sharp began organizing the very first Terry Fox Run which was held on the second Sunday after Labour Day.

The Run was eventually taken over in 1988 by the Terry Fox Foundation under the guidance of Terry’s mother Betty and his older brother Fred. That same year the first international Terry Fox Run was held in Brisbane, Australia.

Over the years Terry Fox Runs have been held in communities across Canada and in 20 different countries. All told, the Terry Fox Runs have so far raised more than
$750 million for cancer research.

Waddell is understandably proud of his own contribution to the cause which every participant in the Orléans Terry Fox Run can see for themselves in the form of a display of the many certificates he has received marking various milestones such as the 25th anniversary of the run, the 30th etc.

He plans to continue to participate in the Run until at least the 50th anniversary of the event in five years time.

In the meantime, local organizers plan to continue to do their part under the leadership of Jahn Fawcett.

This year’s event raised $17,519, mostly through donations made online.

Most of those who either ran, walked, rollerbladed or bicycled, did so in honour of a relative, or friend, who has died from cancer, or who is currently battling the disease.

Near the start line of the Orléans Terry Fox Run is a board where the participants can write the names of the people they are taking part in the run for.

At the top of the board was a note written by Terry’s brother Fred.

It read, “Terry in 1980 you ran a marathon a day against cancer and inspired all of us. Together we will bring an end to the suffer-ing that cancer causes.”