By Staff
September 9th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
In the Fall of 2022, Ashley Bakker, on the heels of a diagnosis of Myeloproliferative Neoplasm, took up running. This was the beginning of her fitness journey. Myeloproliferative Neoplasm is a type of blood cancer where an excess of red and white blood cells and platelets form in the bone marrow.
Concurrently, her two young sons were in school learning about Terry Fox and often came home with questions about this Canadian hero. Together they learned more about Terry’s story and his journey, sparking a curiosity in their young minds. The boys were in awe over what Terry was able to accomplish at such a young age.
“It seemed fitting, given my recent diagnoses, that the Terry Fox run would be my first race in 2023. I borrowed my son’s Terry Fox shirt from school (a little snug but it did the trick!) and made the team Bound2Run in hopes of inspiring my kids to one day run beside me.”
Ashley Bakker and one of her sons – they will both be in the run on Sunday
So, Ashley signed up as a team of one in 2023, with the hopes that Bound2Run would grow as her young children grew up. And for 2024, the team will grow by one, as her son Elliot (age 8) will be running alongside her for the first time.
Inspiring a Younger Generation
Seeing how running and weight training has changed his mom’s life over the past two years, Elliot has embarked on his own fitness journey. He runs with her sometimes during track workouts and does pull-ups on the monkey bars in the park.
Ashley’s goal for this year’s run is simple. She wants to have fun and show her son that he is capable of doing extraordinary things, just like Terry. It doesn’t hurt that Burlington’s run is so picturesque. Nothing beats running along our beautiful waterfront!
Support Bound2Run
If you’re inspired by Ashley’s story, consider supporting her team with a donation. Better still join the team and grow the numbers of people taking part.
https://run.terryfox.ca/team/bound2run
There is a photograph of Terry Fox when he ran through Burlington in 1980. That photograph was taken by John Oaks who was standing on the sidewalk taking pictures. He thought Terry was waving at him.
The day John Oaks took the Terry Fox photograph
