'Human spirit does not stop': Saskatoon's Terry Fox run surpasses fundraising goal

Saskatoon’s 44th annual Terry Fox run took place on Sunday, uniting the community, and country in a shared goal of raising funds for cancer research.

Hundreds of participants gathered at the Delta Bessborough Gardens, raising over $40,000 for the Terry Fox Foundation.

Sarah McIvor, the president of Saskatoon's local Terry Fox Foundation is a survivor of the same cancer that claimed Terry's life.

"For today, it's just one day in the big picture, but as we know with Terry's dream, it was meant to carry on, and that's what we're here to do," said McIvor.

McIvor is also an Oncology nurse and has spent time with cancer patients.

"If you spend any time with someone going through something very personal very vulnerable. You will see more hope in those people's hearts even if they are not successful in their battle. There is something that changes inside of you and makes you realize what this is all about. I liken it to Terry, he lost his battle, but he spread something much larger," said McIvor.

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The fight for cancer research and the hope of finding a cure is a battle that has been long fought by not only the foundation but the world at large, McIvor speaks to how important it is to not give up hope.

"The human spirit does not just kind of stop, discouragement is just a word, but so is determination," said McIvor.

Among the crowd were cancer survivors, identified by their red shirts, and many runners dedicated their efforts to loved ones affected by the disease.

"So we have a lot of teams that come out registered in honor of a loved one, either someone who is still fighting or someone who has passed away. On site we actually have an honor and a memory tree where you can sign your loved ones' names. We have stickers that say who you are running for," said McIvor.

This year's event surpassed last year's fundraising total, contributing to the over $900 million raised by the Terry Fox Foundation since the Marathon of Hope began.