Fred Fox to join Kingsclear man for garbage pickup fundraiser honouring Terry Fox

It is Carl Duivenvoorden's fourth year collecting garbage in support of cancer research instead of participating in a typical Terry Fox Run — but this year, there's a special guest joining him.

Fred Fox, Terry Fox's brother, met Duivenvoorden last year while he was in Fredericton and the idea of cleaning up while raising money for cancer research struck Fox as being unique.

"When I was back in New Brunswick in May, I kind of indicated to Kelly, who works in our Fredericton Terry Fox Foundation office, that maybe that would be something we would do — we would come back," he said.

"So here I am in the Maritimes and able to join Carl on this adventure."

Duivenvoorden started his fundraiser four years ago when the pandemic cancelled Terry Fox Runs. Instead of doing a solo run, he decided he would collect one bag of trash for every kilometre he'd normally complete in a Terry Fox Run — around 10. 

"Terry Fox is one of my heroes. He always said 'lead by example.' And what a wonderful example he set," said Duivenvoorden, who is from Upper Kingsclear.

For the fundraiser's second year, Duivenvoorden and his wife collected close to 50 bags of garbage at the Frye Island Nature Preserve. Then, the third year brought out a team of 10 people who wanted to help.

He said his sponsorships have increased and his goal has also increased each year.

Duivenvoorden's commitment over the years to the Terry Fox Run and now his fundraiser is driven partly by his own personal experience with cancer. He lost his dad to cancer 30 years ago and his sister 15 years ago. He also has two brothers-in-law who are cancer survivors.

"What Terry Fox was striving to do is really, really meaningful to me. And boy, if I can help a bit in that legacy, that's a good thing, in honour of Terry and in honour of my dad, my sister, and others who have been lost to cancer," said Duivenvoorden.

Fox said he thinks his brother would have been very proud and impressed with people coming up with different ways to raise money for cancer research.

"Terry was not only a humanitarian ... I think today he would be an environmentalist as well," said Fox. 

"So I think, you know, doing both fundraising for cancer research and being a friend to our environment would be exactly what Terry would have wanted."