With the 25th anniversary of Terry Fox's legendary run approaching next month, it would have been horrible timing for the city of Whitehorse to forefeit the annual fundraising run in Fox's honour.

As of last week, the Terry Fox Foundation didn't have a local run organizer for the Yukon's capital, although there were already confirmed events in Carmacks, Dawson City, Faro, Mayo and Old Crow. Last year's organizer for Whitehorse, Esther Austring, was unable to dedicate enough time to the event this year.

'We had people (from Whitehorse) who have ran it in the past calling us up, asking us where they could go,' said Ginger Rai, a spokesperson for the Terry Fox Foundation's B.C./Yukon region. 'We asked if there were any neighbouring communities they could go to instead, because Whitehorse didn't look good.'

Thankfully, local resident Kevin Ducharme came to the rescue, after he heard the foundation was looking for an organizer on a local radio station. Ducharme heard the story last Friday and immediately contacted the regional centre that same afternoon.

'It was like an instant phone call,' said Rai. 'We're very pleased because Whitehorse is one of the bigger communities in the Yukon and all of the smaller ones were having them.'

With less than three weeks to go until the scheduled Terry Fox Run Sunday, Sept. 18 Ducharme certainly has his work cut out for him.

Rai is expecting around 300 people at the Whitehorse run, after about 200 people turned out for the 2004 event. The run should once again start at the S.S. Klondike, as it has in the past, and it will cover 10 kilometres.

When asked last year why the event is so popular, Austring said, 'I think because Terry Fox was such an inspiration for people.

'He did more with one leg than most people do with two. He wanted life. And he knew he couldn't have life, so he wanted to make it better for people who could, with research.'

It's also a harsh reality in the today's world, that if you don't have cancer within your immediate family, the chances are you know someone who does. All across Canada and all over the world, people are diagnosed with or dying from cancer every day.

Perhaps that's why more than 20 years after the death of Canadian legend Terry Fox, hundreds of thousands of people continue to support his cause. His story is one that's always worth retelling.

Fox was diagnosed with bone cancer in his right leg in 1977 and had his leg amputated above the knee. While in hospital, he decided to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research, a journey called the Marathon of Hope.

The Marathon of Hope took place in 1980 and with fierce determination, Fox ran an average of 42 kilometres every day for 143 days. In other words, he ran a marathon every day of his trip. Unfortunately, he was forced to stop his run on Sept. 1, 1980, when the cancer spread to his lungs.

But by Feb. 1, 1981, Fox's dream of raising $1 for every Canadian was realized. The Marathon of Hope had raised more than $24-million. Fox died in 1981, but each year since then, during the month of September, thousands of Canadians and thousands more around the world choose one day to run, walk or bike and raise money for cancer, in honour of Fox.

To date, over $340-million has been raised worldwide for cancer research in Fox's name. And perhaps just as importantly, people who are diagnosed with cancer have received more emotional support from their communities.

And it's the youth who are so affected by cancer now that will be carrying on the Terry Fox Run tradition, and carrying on the fundraising.

'I think the awareness for youth is really important,' said Austring in an earlier interview. '(Saying)Here's a young man, look what he's done. Continuing that legend for children is important.

'Terry Fox is a true Canadian hero.'