On June 9th, a group of dedicated cyclists and ambassadors of the Terry Fox Foundation set off from Vancouver to take on a cross-country challenge with their goal to reach St. John’s, Newfoundland, by July 10th, at the exact spot where Terry set out on his iconic Marathon of Hope 45 years ago.
The Ride of Hope 2025 commemorates the 45th anniversary of Terry’s iconic Marathon of Hope.
The Ride of Hope began ten years ago, in 2015 when Terry's younger brother, Darrell Fox, an avid cyclist, challenged a small group to ride 350 km to Mount Terry Fox in British Columbia to honour the Marathon of Hope’s 35th anniversary. That initiative sparked a growing movement of cycling fundraisers that now take part annually across the country and have since raised over a million dollars for cancer research.
When the Terry Fox Foundation reached out to Scott Phillips, Councillor for the RM of Sifton, for a rest stop in the Deleau-Sifton Centennial Park, Phillips said 'Absolutely!'.
"It's pretty exciting! Members from the Terry Fox family reached out about 3 months ago and said they were going to be biking across Canada, and they asked if they could use the Deleau-Sifton Centennial Park on Wednesday for lunch, and if we would be willing to provide for them. And I said we would most definitely love to do that!” shares Phillips.
“So, I just got to thinking,” adds Phillips. “What can we do to make this special? So, I reached out to some of the schools, and we were very fortunate that the Hartney and Souris schools are sending students to bike a few miles down Hwy #2 with the group of cyclists, and a police and fire truck escort. There will be other dignitaries that are going along the journey for a few miles too and we're inviting the public to come to a fundraiser barbecue!”
Phillips says the BBQ is being supported by their local Co-op and businesses - and will be by donation only, with hamburgers and hotdogs and drinks available for everyone who would like to join them and support the Terry Fox Foundation.
"I just want to thank Prairie Rose Meats, J & S Meats, and the Minary Bakery from Souris, as well as Boundary Co-op. Also, the Deleau General Store and in case of rain the Bar-B-Que will be held there at the Deleau General Store," he adds.
"So, it's going to be a fun, little fundraiser,” says Phillips. “We just ask the public to please come out around 12:00 noon on Wednesday, June 18th to the park, bring a lawn chair and an appetite, and let's all contribute to cancer awareness, because cancer has impacted everybody everywhere. So, it's a great cause and we're hoping to have a good crowd!”
Inspired by Terry’s unwavering strength and courage, these riders will push themselves to the limit, both physically and mentally, to complete this 32-day journey in pursuit of realizing Terry’s dream of a world without cancer. The National Ride of Hope has set a goal of raising $1 million for the Terry Fox Foundation which will support finishing Terry’s fight against cancer and help to usher in a new era of cancer research with the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network.
“Every kilometre we ride is a tribute to Terry’s relentless determination,” said Darrell Fox, Terry’s younger brother and Senior Advisor at the Terry Fox Research Institute. “Just like Terry’s Marathon of Hope, and his timeless vision, this journey is focused solely on raising funds to eradicate cancer through research.”
Scott Phillips says they're honored to provide these cyclists lunch and a brief rest for a few reasons as they continue their trek east.
Sadly, the community of Deleau lost a dear member of the community and caretaker of the park to cancer this year. Gerlof and Tineke De Jong had been caretakers of the Deleau-Sifton Centennial Park for many years. Tineke lost her battle to cancer this past March, and is honored with trees and a plaque which is most fitting as she will be remembered for the thousands of hours she devoted to tending this beautiful little park.
Please listen to Scott Phillips as he shares more on Tineke and her dedication to the community.
Phillips says they're looking forward to showing their appreciation to Terry's brother and the Terry Fox Foundation is such a tangible way. Darrell Fox and the cycling team will be leaving Carlyle, SK Wednesday morning to arrive at the Deleau-Sifton Centennial Park by noon.
“So, they’ll be peddling pretty good!” says Phillips. “They're going to stop at Reston for a quick refresh and then they're heading to Deleau for lunch and then they're off to Glenboro to spend the night there. It's a long enough car ride from Carlisle to Glenboro, let alone biking it!" he adds. "So, we're excited and we're more than thrilled and honored to have them stop at our park."
As the Ride of Hope stops in towns across Canada, community members are welcome to show their support through a handful of community events at select stops or by contributing to the fundraiser. You can find more details about where the group will be visiting or how to donate at terryfox.org/terry-fox-national-ride-of-hope/.
In addition to the National Ride of Hope, there will be 14 local Ride of Hope events taking place across Canada this summer in support of the Terry Fox Foundation. No matter your previous cycling experience, anyone of any ability is welcome to participate in a Ride of Hope. To show your support or participate in a local Ride of Hope event in your area, visit terryfox.org/rideofhope.
The Deleau-Sifton Centennial Park, located on Highway #2 - 15 minutes West of Souris.