Every day, Jim Terrion takes another step and gets a little closer to his goal of raising $1 million dollars for the Terry Fox Foundation.
Terrion has been raising money for the Terry Fox Foundation since 1991 and so far has raised $843,890 over 31 years - His goal is to reach $1 million by summer 2024.
Since he started fundraising for the season on Aug. 26, he’s raised $12,302.25 and has over 48 pledge sheets.
He also plans to walk 42 kilometres on Sunday, Sept. 18 for the annual run, which represents one kilometre for every year of the Terry Fox Run.
His passion for Terry Fox started back when he saw Terry dip his artificial leg into the Atlantic Ocean on TV and thought, “Terry is disabled and so am I”.
Terrion was born deaf, and while it’s a different disability than Terry Fox had, Terry’s ambition inspired him and he felt compelled to help Terry accomplish his dream of one day finding a cure for cancer.
It had such a profound impact on Terrion that he decided to start his own cross-country trek called the Silent Walk in 1990. His goal was to walk across Canada and back to raise awareness for people with hearing disabilities.
He walked 9,917 kilometres over eight months, covering 100 km in one day alone, and raised $150,000 for organizations that help with the deaf and hard of hearing.
Terrion said after accomplishing a mission close to his heart he was ready to focus his attention on Terry and he began to canvas and fundraise for the Terry Fox Foundation in 1991.
“My fundraising efforts were slow because it’s not always easy for me to communicate with others. I do it by writing notes to my contributors or sowing them the clipboard I carry with all of my pledge sheets.”
That first year he raised $7,586.25 from the people in his hometown of Prince Rupert and has been fundraising ever since, raising money in both Prince Rupert and Prince George where he’s lived since 2006.
Every year he gets closer to his goal of raising $1 million, but he says even after he meets his goal he’s going to keep walking and fundraising in support of the Terry Fox Foundation.
“I have the utmost respect for Terry and everything he went through on his run, and I have pledged my support to keep his dream alive,” said Terrion.
“I too want a world free of cancer and the suffering it causes. Like so many people I have lost family members to cancer and will do everything I can to help find a cure.”
His passion and persistence have not gone unnoticed.
He was a torchbearer at the 2015 Canada Winter Games in Prince George and has received other awards including a Terry Fox Run Certificate of Appreciation in 1992 and a B.C. achievement Community Award in 2006 and in 2020.
In 2011, he had the opportunity to drop the puck at a Vancouver Canucks game and he’s even travelled over to Malaysia to participate in their 2015 Terry Fox Run.
Next year, he wants to climb Mt. Terry Fox, which is located adjacent to the west boundary of Mt. Robson Provincial Park, just three hours from Prince George.
Terrion said it was difficult to raise money during the COVID-19 pandemic, but he’s happy to now be able to get back into the community collecting pledges and excited to one-day reach his goal of raising $1 million.
Those compelled to support Terrion in his fundraising campaign can also donate to his online fundraising page.
