"Nobody is ever going to call me a quitter" —Terry Fox.
Cowichan breast cancer survivor Dominica Dorazio is no quitter either, and she will be running 45 km on Cowichan's trail system on Sept. 13 to mark the 45th year since Terry Fox first embarked on his Marathon of Hope.
Her own personal run will take place the day before the annual Cowichan Valley Terry Fox Run which is being organized by Mark Swannell at Evans Park in North Cowichan on Sept. 14. Dorazio's goal is simple, to raise more awareness and funds for the Canadian Cancer Foundation.
"I often have great epic ideas when out on the trail when I am enjoying the peace and quiet of an early morning Sunday run, particularly when the body is feeling strong and the miles seem to be flying by," said Dorazio. "Fast forward to 20 weeks into my training with old and new injuries rearing their ugly heads, it is hard not to get into my head and say what am I doing? When this happens I remind myself what I am doing is a privilege and I repeat the quote Terry Fox said during his journey running across Canada: 'There can be no reason for me to stop. No matter what pain I suffer, it is nothing compared to the pain of those who have cancer, of those who endure treatment.'"
Dorazio, who is now 54 years young, said she clearly remembers seeing Fox on TV at the tender age of nine, and feeling inspired by him running across the country on one leg.
"I knew nothing about cancer, just that the word was talked about in hush tones by adults in my life, and that it killed people, so you can imagine in a nine-year-old brain how incredibly remarkable it was to see and hear Terry on TV," said Dorazio.
Fox inspired Dorazio to start running at this early age, which began with her taking her family dog out for adventures down the trails behind her house, then known as the Mount Prevost School mud run route. This was her run across Canada with Fox. Upon hearing that Fox's life and journey had ended, she was heartbroken.
"It was for me as if a close friend had died and I stopped my “run across Canada' on our trails."
Her passion for running picked up again in her teens. It was seven years after having a breast reduction surgery at the age of 19 that Dorazio was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer and said she was fortunate that her doctor decided to have a biopsy done, despite her young age.
"Every day during treatment I ran," said Dorazio. "It may have been only five minutes, but I moved and thought about Terry. This passion for running continued throughout my 20s and it was in many ways, what saved my life."
On Sept. 13, Dorazio will be leaving with her support crew at 7 a.m. from Queen Margaret's School. She will enter the trail from Agira Road and run to Mayo Lake, then turn around and head back, but not before making an extra loop past Evans field where the Cowichan Valley Terry Fox Run will be held the next day.
She will then turn onto Drinkwater Road and run past the cemetery as she makes her way to the Friendship Trail entrance near Walmart. She will have a pit stop at Hang Out Climbing gym before continuing downtown through the Farmers Market, and back up Government Street to Queen Margaret's School to finish.
Support and cheer Dorazio on as she embarks on this trek or make a donation to her page run.terryfox.ca/page/
"I am slower than ever but on Sept. 13, I am running for those who cannot," said Dorazio. "It will be long, slow and steady, but I will remind myself: There can be no reason for me to stop. No matter what pain I suffer, it is nothing compared to the pain of those who have cancer, and of those who endure treatment.
