Student raises $7000 for Terry Fox Foundation

By Daniel Mendoza

STURGEON FALLS – Alexander Hebert’s mother Marci Becking remembers getting the phone call from a North Bay Terry Fox Foundation volunteer five years ago, asking to speak with Alex.

“I laughed and told them he was three years old – but I told them that of course he’ll be running again,” says Becking.

Alex, who is a citizen of Dokis First Nation, has raised $7,000 for Cancer research since 2006.

“I like that I get to stand up in front of the whole school when we have our Terry Fox Run assembly,” says Alex who is in Grade 3 at White Woods Public School in Sturgeon Falls.  “Last year I brought a Terry Fox flag and we carried that around the school yard during the run.”

This year, Alex raised $1,035 and he was extra pumped this year because of his summer experience.

“This summer I got to go to the Terry Fox statue near Thunder Bay,” says Alex.  “I know that Terry Fox quit running because his Cancer returned, but maybe he was also sick of the black flies!”

Alex has personally lost many relatives to Cancer and he knows of many friends and family who are still undergoing treatment.

“It’s really sad,” says Alex.  “It seems everyone has Cancer.”

He says that his mom first got him involved with the Terry Fox Run when he was only nine months old.

“I have pictures of me in a stroller with my Terry Fox Run participant ribbon,” says Alex.  “I couldn’t even walk yet and I was raising money.  Maybe it was easy because I was really cute!  Now that I’m eight, I have to work harder.”