Fighting his own cancer battle, Saskatchewan man travels to P.E.I. for Terry Fox Run

PEIVern Hodgins, originally from Prince Albert, Sask., travelled all the way to the Island to participate in his 45th Terry Fox Run, this time on the Confederation Bridge.Vern Hodgins has participated in the event every year since it startedRyan McKellop · CBC News · Posted: Sep 21, 2025 3:42 PM EDT | Last Updated: 5 hours agoSaskatchewan’s Vern Hodgins wore a red shirt during this year’s Terry Fox Run to show he is a cancer survivor. He is still battling prostate cancer. (Taylor O’Brien/CBC)Vern Hodgins, originally from Prince Albert, Sask., travelled all the way to the Island to participate in Sunday’s 45th Terry Fox Run, this time on the Confederation Bridge.Hodgins said he’s participated in the runs ever since he first heard of Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope. As a former teacher, he valued and shared Fox’s message.”I taught for years about Terry Fox to my classes, about determination and courage and never giving up and hope … and I just believe in that message,” he said.”And now that I’m retired, I just … keep on going.”Hodgins, who joined upwards of 10,000 participants at the Confederation Bridge, wore a red shirt along his run, signifying his own ongoing battle with cancer.”Red shirts mean that you’re a member of Terry’s team, means you’re a cancer survivor. I’ve been wearing this T-shirt since 2018, so I’m a cancer survivor. I’m in the middle of chemo right now.”He said he is living with prostate cancer, and that it has moved into his lower spine, which is why he didn’t walk the full 13 kilometres of the bridge.Hodgins walked as far as he could. Then he turned around and headed back.Ever since his diagnosis, he said he has seen the impact of fundraising for cancer research.”You see a lot of people who are fighting cancer when … when you’re in the cancer buildings, and you talk to a lot of people, you talk to a lot of nurses and a lot of doctors,” he said.”And you realize what some of the money that’s been raised, how it’s helping research, and. yeah, it does make it different.”According to the Terry Fox Foundation’s website, over $820,000 has been raised at the Confederation Bridge run alone, passing a $500,000 goal set last week. Organizers are pushing toward raising $1 million.Thousands took to Confederation Bridge Sunday to participate in the 45th Terry Fox Run. (Taylor O’Brien/CBC)Hodgins said he was happy to see the thousands of people who participated Sunday and carried on Fox’s legacy.”The amount of young people that are here, just amazing,” he said.He said he was able to check the Confederation Bridge run off his bucket list. He originally wanted to attend in 2020 before COVID shut it down that year.ABOUT THE AUTHORRyan McKellop is a graduate of the Holland College Journalism program and a web writer at CBC P.E.I.With files from Taylor O’Brien