Matthew Mancini wants to follow in the enormous footsteps of Terry Fox.
On Thursday the 11-year-old cancer survivor, who had his left leg amputated in December, and three-time Olympic boxer Mike Strange started their journey, picking up at the exact spot where Fox ended his Marathon of Hope 32 years ago just north of Thunder Bay.
“We’re trying to raise more money for children so they can have a better life,” said the St. Catharines, Ont. youngster, who watched two friends die from the disease while awaiting his own treatment late last year.
His father, Dino Mancini, said Matthew’s experience and brush with death inspired him to want to become the next Terry Fox and help anyone and everyone he can.
“He wanted to be a part of raising money. When Mike approached us, we were very excited to be able to help out as much as humanly possibly we can,” he said.
“If it hadn’t been for Terry doing what he did 32 years ago, we wouldn’t be standing here.
Unfortunately, I don’t think Matt would have made it. I know it’s unfortunate that some people believe that the money doesn’t go to the right places. But I’ve seen it first-hand. The money does go to the right places and the research that is happening is building and getting stronger and stronger.”
It’s the belief in the research that will make a cure possible, the elder Mancini said Thursday, standing beneath the monument erected off the Trans-Canada Highway to pay tribute to Fox.
“And I believe we’re going to win. If we don’t believe that we’re going to win, we’re going to lose,” said Dino Mancini, who met Fox’s father and brother prior to beginning their journey to Thunder Bay.
“So it’s unfortunate that we think that way sometimes, but we can’t. We have to believe. Terry Fox had many different sayings and one of them was we have to believe and we have to carry on his dream. We being here allows us to carry on doing what we do. And I’m very proud of my son and I’m very proud of Mike.”
Strange, who fought for Canada at the Olympics n 1992, 1996 and 2000, said he was inspired to pick up where Fox was forced to leave off in 1980 when his cancer returned, by the death of his mentor, Bob (Heater) Lavelle.
“In his legacy we wanted to start something for him and we did this Heater’s Run for Children in which we helped about 15 children through Tender Wishes,” Strange said.
One of the children, Kelsey Hill, had a particularly strong effect on him. When she died, he was devastated and decided to do something to make a difference.
“One of the last miles we did in the Heater’s Heroes was the Terry Fox mile, where we had one of the children run a mile during our fundraiser.
“We just thought what if we could continue what Terry Fox started back in 1980 and raise awareness about what Terry did. It’s just phenomenal that he could go that far on one leg and the last couple of days when he had cancer right through his lungs. It’s just amazing.”
Matthew , whose mop of brown hair is strikingly reminiscent of Fox’s famous curls, won’t be running the entire journey with Strange, who will be accompanied by an entourage providing support in a motor home.
Instead he’ll join Strange periodically between post-operation treatments, walking a portion of the planned marathon-a-day Strange intends to run between Thunder Bay and Victoria, where the effort is expected to end in a few month’s time.
To donate, visit www.boxrun.ca. All proceeds will be give to the Terry Fox Foundation for Cancer Research.
