A Lesson In Purpose:
It has become vogue recently to talk about finding your purpose, whether that be individually or as an organization. Like many trends, it is a phrase that many talk about but few really embrace and live. As I prepare for my annual 10km run for cancer research I am motivated by the story of a brave young man's purpose whose life ended much too soon. He was diagnosed with a cancer that resulted in him losing a leg and ultimately losing his life. I try to imagine how he must have felt, how I might have reacted in such a position, and then just like him, I turn that feeling of sadness into something positive. I lace up my running shoes and get out on the road and run my 10K knowing that the money I raise will reduce the suffering of people by helping find treatments and cures for cancer.
The young man's name was Terry Fox. He went through the amputation of his leg and the associated cancer treatments and instead of shutting down and feeling sorry for himself, he found his purpose, to end the suffering caused by cancer.
This simple purpose led him to the extraordinary effort to run from the east coast of Canada to the west coast by doing a marathon a day, yes 26 miles every day, with a prosthetic leg. His goal was to raise $1 from every Canadian, amounting to $25million. First, he would receive a few dollars as he passed through small towns out east. By the time he reached the main population center of Toronto, he had a large following and the photographs of his run are now iconic parts of Canadian history. After running 5,373km his personal run ended due to the return of cancer and he died the following year. Before he died he had achieved his goal of raising $25million dollars. That could have been the end of this story but this is where the power of a purpose comes into play. Terry's family and friends have taken on this purpose of ending the suffering caused by cancer. Every year now thousands of Canadians do the same as me, on a Sunday morning in mid-September they put on their running or walking shoes, or get out their bicycles or rollerblades, and they set out to continue Terry Fox's run that is now known as his Marathon of Hope. The original goal of $ 25 million is way back in the distance now and prior to this year's run, the Terry Fox Foundation has raised over $ 850 million. This has funded many research studies and enabled treatments and cures for some cancers to be identified that continue to reduce the suffering caused by cancer. His purpose endures, to end the suffering caused by cancer.
#terryfoxrun #purpose #cancerresearch
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