20,000 mark 20th anniversary Terry Fox run in Abu Dhabi

Hans Lauer from Germany takes part in the 20th Terry Fox run along the Corniche in Abu Dhabi on February 27, 2015. Christopher Pike / The National

ABU DHABI // Men, women, children and even dogs donned T-shirts bearing the iconic image of the Canadian hero Terry Fox as more than 20,000 participants marked the 20th anniversary of the run held in memory of the humanitarian.

While some sprinted the 8.5-kilometre course and others chatted with friends and colleagues as they took a more leisurely approach, all spoke of the courage by the athlete whose story and legacy has raised millions for cancer research worldwide.

“I have supported this event and its message for many years,” said participant Ghassan Arbid.

The 67-year-old Lebanese-American expatriate, who has tried to take part in the event every year since its inception, organised for a team of 75 people from his company, Alsa Engineering, to do the run.

Between himself, the chief executive, and his employees, Mr Arbid hopes to raise Dh50,000 for the cause.

Organisers said more than Dh355,035 had been raised so far, with a total of more than Dh1.2 million raised from several races being donated to nine cancer research projects across Abu Dhabi emirate on Friday. Across the UAE, 58 cancer research projects have been funded through Terry Fox fundraising.

Romesh Jayasundera, a 38-year-old Sri Lankan, is a credit handler for HSBC. His bank has promised to match whatever he raised from the run.

“I heard about the Terry Fox run and what he sacrificed in life, so it inspired me,” said Mr Jayasundera, who has taken part in three previous Terry Fox runs.

When the first fundraising run took place in Abu Dhabi in 1995, just 100 or so people took part. Over the last two decades it has swelled in popularity, with Nafisa Taha, chair of the organising committee for the Terry Fox Run — Abu Dhabi, estimating the 2015 event to be the biggest turnout to date.

Terry Fox died in 1981, one month short of his 23rd birthday, while attempting an 8,000km trek across his homeland with a prosthetic right leg.

The leg was amputated when he was 18, in 1977, because of osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer.

Unfortunately, the cancer returned and he died before he could complete his goal.

German Claudia Seeback, 47, took part on Friday with friends. As she set off from the East Plaza on the Corniche towards Mina Zayed, she said the message of a “Marathon of Hope” was what inspired her to take part.

“We are having a great time,” said the 47-year-old, who was part of a team of 10 from the German Embassy.

Anthony Beaumont, a 31-year-old British expatriate, was part of a team from New York University.

He was using the run as a warm-up ahead of the Abu Dhabi Triathlon next month, as well as a way of spreading the Terry Fox message.

“I have always been meaning to do it but have never had the chance before,” he said. “It is all about the atmosphere.”

Melissa Ans, 14, a French-Lebanese expatriate, took part with eight friends. It was her first Terry Fox run.

“I wanted to take part because it is for a good cause,” she said.

Brahim Loumarry was one of the first runners to cross the finish line, completing the distance in about 30 minutes.

A sports trainer for the army, the 34-year-old Moroccan said all nationalities are touched by cancer.

French expatriate Emmanuel Hinard said his sister died of cancer aged just 49. He and his co-workers also wanted to do the run after a friend survived cancer. “He is our inspiration,” he said.

Ms Taha said the funds raised this year will be directed at helping cancer research, prevention and treatment in the UAE.

Terry Fox’s two bothers, Fred and Darrell Fox, attended Friday’s event. It was Darrell’s first time at the Abu Dhabi run and he spoke of how overwhelmed he was by the turnout and support for his brother, more than three decades after his death.

“I don’t think I can find the right words to describe the turnout,” he said. “I have been to many runs over the years but this is the largest event I have ever attended by far.

“Just the enthusiasm for the Terry Fox story ... it is wonderful.

“You have to pinch yourself to think of the impact he has had but it is a story of an average individual who never gave up and tried his very best and I think that translates to any language.”

While the event is free to enter, money is raised from the Dh30 fee for T-shirts while people are also encouraged to raise sponsorships and donate.

Zayed, the six-year-old son of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, was the first to put a cheque of an undisclosed amount into one of the donation boxes moments before the run started, to cheers from the crowd.

The collective amount raised by all the Terry Fox Runs in the UAE to date amount to more than Dh15m, all of which goes in the form of grants to support original cancer research projects. This year, more than Dh3m will go towards financing a further 16 cancer projects, nine of which are in Abu Dhabi.

These research projects are chosen after a rigorous selection process.