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Local youth receives Terry Fox Award

Sep 11, 2018 | 1:25 PM

A 19-year-old survivor of leukemia has received this year’s Terry Fox Award for his involvement in the community and his efforts to raise money and awareness for cancer research.

Donovan Fraser was presented with the 36th Terry Fox Award and Citation Monday evening at the start of Prince Albert City Council’s regular meeting. The award is presented each year to recognize a young person who exhibits the ideals and values of the late Terry Fox.

Ahead of Prince Albert’s annual Terry Fox Run fundraiser event this Sunday, Mayor Greg Dionne said Fraser is a role model and positive influence on local youth, who also volunteers as a soccer coach with the U-14 mixed team and works with children at the École Vickers’ before and after-school program.

Fraser also supports the annual Terry Fox Run, participating with his own team, which has already raised more than $30,000 for cancer research.

“People call you a mentor, a friend, lots of young people thank you,” Dionne told Fraser.

Fraser had hip replacement surgery following treatments and chemotherapy for cancer. He can no longer play soccer but said coaching allows him to still participate in the game.

“I have a titanium hip because the steroids I was on ate three-quarters of my left hip and half of my left knee, and so I ended up getting my hip replaced last year and still am missing half my left knee,” Fraser said Monday. “Soccer was the sport I played year after year, and when I couldn’t play anymore, I was disappointed, but I found another way to get back into it, and it’s just as enjoyable to help the kids and let them learn and watch them learn.”

September is also Children’s Cancer Awareness month. Sunday’s Terry Fox Run starts at 2 p.m. at the Alfred Jenkins Fieldhouse. There are three different route options for this year’s event – two, five or 10 kilometres – for those who want to take part.  

 

Charlene.tebbutt@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @CharleneTebbutt