Terry Fox Run 2026: Join the movement in Bow Island, Medicine Hat, and Taber

Posted on September 17, 2026 by Ryan Dahlman

By Nerissa McNaughton
Southern Alberta Newspapers

Communities across southern Alberta are preparing to mark the 46th anniversary of Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope this September. Medicine Hat and Taber have well-established runs ready to welcome participants on run day. Bow Island, meanwhile, does not currently have an organized event, but that has not stopped residents from fundraising and honouring Terry’s legacy in their own way.

This year offers a meaningful opportunity for Bow Island: a chance for the community to keep Terry’s dream alive, whether by joining a neighbouring run, participating independently, or taking the lead in bringing an official Terry Fox Run back home.

Who was Terry Fox, and why does his legacy matter?

On April 12, 1980, Terry Fox dipped his leg into the Atlantic Ocean at St. John’s, Newfoundland, and began the Marathon of Hope, a cross-country run intended to raise money and awareness for cancer research. Running with a prosthetic leg, Terry covered more than 5,000 kilometres before cancer, which had already cost him his right leg, spread to his lungs and forced him to stop just outside Thunder Bay, Ontario. He died 10 months later, at the age of 22.

Since 1980, the Terry Fox Foundation has raised more than $850 million and funded cancer research projects across Canada

Christie Krawchuk, Director of Community Development for Alberta, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut, says the annual run does more than raise money.

“It’s bringing the community together, it’s raising money for the cause, and it’s keeping Terry’s legacy alive,” Krawchuk says.

The Terry Fox Run: A national tradition

More than 650 communities across Canada, from small towns to major cities, take part in the annual Terry Fox Run. Every event follows the same core principles: they are free to enter; non-competitive; and open to walkers, runners, cyclists, and people using wheelchairs or rollerblades. While there is no registration fee, organizers encourage participants to fundraise or make a personal donation, since the run exists to fund cancer research.

Krawchuk notes that the foundation keeps overhead costs low so that donations go further, and much of this is possible thanks to the countless volunteers that donate their time every year.

Participating in your area

Residents in and around Bow Island have options for joining a Terry Fox Run this year.

Medicine Hat: The run takes place on Sunday, Sept. 20 with registration at 9:30 a.m, and a 10:30 a.m. start at the Medicine Hat College main entrance. Participants follow a three-kilometre loop along the Sunrise Rotary Trail, with accessibility for bicycles, rollerblades, and wheelchairs. As of this writing, the Medicine Hat run has raised $17,450 toward its $22,100 goal. (Details and registration: run.terryfox.ca/129819)

Taber: The Taber run happens Saturday, Sept. 19 with registration at 8 a.m. and a 9 a.m. start at the Taber Community Centre. (Details and registration: run.terryfox.ca/129817)

Krawchuk pointed to both events as models of what Bow Island could build toward.

“The Taber and Medicine Hat runs are very well received. They certainly bring their community together,” she notes.

Bow Island: Participate, fundraise, and volunteer to organize

Bow Island has not had an organized in-person Terry Fox Run in recent years, but residents are far from left out. A Bow Island fundraising page remains active on the Terry Fox Foundation website, allowing supporters to donate or create a personal fundraising page even without a formal event. (Bow Island fundraising page: run.terryfox.ca/129404)

On Sept. 20, residents can walk, run, or cycle independently, on their own schedule and route, to support cancer research and honour Terry’s memory. Krawchuk emphasized that these individual efforts count just as much as those tied to a formal event.

The foundation is actively looking for a volunteer to organize a run in Bow Island. Those interested in bringing an organized event to their community can contact Christie Krawchuk directly at christie.krawchuk@terryfox.org.

“Although we are tight on the timeline to the National Terry Fox Run Day, anything is doable,” Krawchuk says. “And for the next year too, would it be good to have somebody on board? Absolutely. We would love to have a volunteer organize a community run in Bow Island.”

What volunteers receive and how the foundation supports them

Organizing a community run is a significant undertaking, but volunteers do not do it alone. The Terry Fox Foundation supplies promotional materials at no cost, including the well-known “I’m running for…” stickers, which participants fill in with the names of loved ones.

The foundation also provides insurance support and logistical planning assistance to help new organizers get an event off the ground. Run organizers gain access to a private Facebook group connecting them with counterparts across the country, a space Krawchuk described as a close-knit community that shares ideas and successes. Zoom calls bring organizers together with members of the Fox family, who share their gratitude and support directly with volunteers.

Krawchuk notes that some organizers have been running their community events for decades.

“We’ve got run organizers that have been doing this for 40+ runs, and they’re still going strong. They’ve got great experience and expertise that is really amazing for others to tap into,” she says.

A Bigger Story: Documentary and song mark Terry’s 45th
Anniversary

This year’s Run Day arrives alongside two new tributes to Terry Fox’s legacy. Run Terry Run, a feature-length documentary directed by Sean Menard, draws on reels of previously unseen footage and unheard audio from the Marathon of Hope. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Musician Bryan Adams also released “The Ballad of Terry Fox,” an original song featured in the documentary. Adams, who was touring Canada as a young musician when Terry ran in 1980, said the Marathon of Hope left a lasting impression on him.

Keep Terry’s dream alive this September

Whether the plan is lacing up for the Medicine Hat or Taber run, walking a personal route through Bow Island, or reaching out to Christie Krawchuk about organizing a future event, every action taken in September helps carry Terry’s Marathon of Hope forward.

As Krawchuk put it, “If you’re not able to join a run, do it your way, and just think about Terry’s legacy and what he’s done.”