Abbotsford’s Jacob Bredenhof is planning to make sure the 2020 Terry Fox Run will be one to remember.
Two years ago, his family participated in the event in his honour as the teenager recovered in B.C. Children’s Hospital.
He was battling osteosarcoma, an aggressive bone cancer – which eventually resulted in one of his legs being amputated. He endured three months of chemotherapy prior to his surgery and another six months while recovering.
He actually completed two kilometres of the Terry Fox Run on crutches that year, and his team raised nearly $18,000 for the cause.
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Last year he was recognized by the Air Canada Foundation for his fundraising and got to attend a Vancouver Canucks game, was given a signed jersey by Captain Bo Horvat, met with former goaltender Kirk McLean and was recognized over the speakers at Rogers Arena.
He and his family also appeared on the annual Variety Show of Hearts Telethon back in February.
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This fall will see Bredenhof hit the road himself, along with a team of cyclists, as he participates in a virtual Terry Fox Run called The Pedal of Hope on Sept. 19. He and the team, which also includes his parents and Terry Fox’s brother Darrell, will be begin the 100-kilometre journey at Terry Fox Elementary in Abbotsford and head through Yarrow, Greendale, Sardis, Chilliwack, Rosedale, Agassiz and finish in Hope.
Bredenhof has been training for the past three months to complete the journey. He will be powering the adapted bike on one leg.
A fundraiser has been launched to support those like Jacob who are battling cancer, and the money raised has already surpassed its original goal. They have raised over $38,000 and had initially set the goal for $20,000.
The fundraising page states that the main goal for the event is to help lower the amount of children suffering through cancer.
“We as a family through Jacob’s cancer with Osteosarcoma have seen way too many kids that we knew and loved die from this beast of a disease and want to do what we can, how we can, to raise money and awareness, in hopes that less children will lose their lives to cancer,” the page states.
“Cancer research cannot wait for COVID-19 to be over,” the page adds. “Because Terry asked us to try and wanted it to continue on, and because 40 years ago he hurt watching kids around him suffer. Because its the 40th anniversary of Terry’s Marathon of Hope! Because of Jacob . Because of the many lives of kids we got to know and love that were lost to this devastating disease.”
Approximately 50 riders have registered so far for the event, but individuals or families are welcome to join up.
For more information on the event, visit terryfox.ca/jacobsteam.
