Organizers for the Saskatoon Terry Fox Run say the event itself hasn’t changed much since its beginnings 32 years ago, but noted the perception around cancer has changed drastically.

Sherri Sanche, chairperson and run coordinator for the Saskatoon Terry Fox Run said years ago, when an individual was diagnosed with the disease, it was seen by most as a death sentence, but now there is more hope than ever for those who are diagnosed.

“When I first heard the word cancer I thought it was a death label, anyone who has cancer is not getting out of it, but it’s so different now,” said Sanche. “There are people that we lose within a month, but there are so many cancer survivors.”

“It’s all about hope and celebration,” she said later.

One of those survivors is Sarah Salewich, the children’s area coordinator at the run, and for her this event is an important for her, as she had the same type of cancer as Terry Fox and now he’s become a symbol of hope for her.

“I think of him, I think of what he set out to do and I think, if he can do it, I can do it,” said Salewich. “It may seem like the simplest statement, but it keeps me going and I think it keeps a lot of people going.”