David Baxter PhD
Late Founder
Running for Terry's Team: Josh McKenney will be on Team Terry in this year's Terry Fox Run
August 12, 2010
RUNNING FOR THE CURE. Nine year-old Josh McKenney, of Oxford Mills, will be on Terry’s Team in this year’s Terry Fox run held at Riverside Park. Participants on Terry’s Team are reserved for those who have survived cancer and symbolize hope. K. Wallace Photo/ Advance Staff
Josh McKenney was only five years-old when he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
While his form of cancer was one of the most curable types, it wasn’t always that easily treatable.
“He told me that 20 years ago, if no one raised money for cancer, he would be dead,” said his mother, Fiona McKenney. “His cancer was incurable 20 years ago.”
Today, Josh is a typical nine year-old from Oxford Mills who enjoys video games, swimming and bouncing on his trampoline.
But he’s also taking his love for running and giving back to others who are suffering with cancer.
Josh will be on Terry’s Team at this year’s Terry Fox Run held at Riverside Park on Sept. 19.
“I read a book about when Terry Fox was trying to run across Canada,” he said. “I was pretty amazed.”
The spot on Terry’s Team is reserved for those who have survived cancer. According to the Terry Fox Run website, participants on Terry's Team are symbols of hope and a reminder of the legacy Terry left behind.
Josh doesn’t remember a lot of things from his treatment, except for the hospital food at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario.
“I ate bacon, ham and sausage – but definitely not eggs,” he said. “They were basically a scoop of margarine. That’s what it tasted like.”
He also remembers a couple other children he met in the hospital – particularly a roommate who had the same type of bone cancer as Terry Fox and had his leg removed.
“I had my neck sewed up, but I don’t remember anything else really,” Josh said.
However his mother remembers the relief of finding out her son’s type of cancer was treatable.
“When the doctors said it was Hodgkin’s, I had no idea what that was. That was the hardest,” she said. “I was thinking caskets and pallbearers.”
Although the experience wasn’t as bad as Fiona thought, it reminded her how lucky she was that it wasn’t a worse form of cancer.
“His hair fell out, but he was healthiest looking cancer kid ever in the grand scheme of things,” she said.
However, she added it was difficult for her and Josh when people would stare at him after he lost his hair.
So to take the attention away from her son, Fiona shaved her head complete with a green Mohawk.
“When people see the bald-headed grown woman, they stop staring at the little bald kid,” she said.
While Josh was in recovery, Fiona created a patch with Josh’s face and sewed it on the back.
Along with the picture of Josh, Fiona also sewed in the words, “chemo took my son’s hair but didn’t take his smile. I shaved off my hair to keep the smile there.”
To donate and learn more about the Terry Fox run, visit the website Terry Fox Foundation - A single dream. A world of hope.
August 12, 2010
RUNNING FOR THE CURE. Nine year-old Josh McKenney, of Oxford Mills, will be on Terry’s Team in this year’s Terry Fox run held at Riverside Park. Participants on Terry’s Team are reserved for those who have survived cancer and symbolize hope. K. Wallace Photo/ Advance Staff
Josh McKenney was only five years-old when he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
While his form of cancer was one of the most curable types, it wasn’t always that easily treatable.
“He told me that 20 years ago, if no one raised money for cancer, he would be dead,” said his mother, Fiona McKenney. “His cancer was incurable 20 years ago.”
Today, Josh is a typical nine year-old from Oxford Mills who enjoys video games, swimming and bouncing on his trampoline.
But he’s also taking his love for running and giving back to others who are suffering with cancer.
Josh will be on Terry’s Team at this year’s Terry Fox Run held at Riverside Park on Sept. 19.
“I read a book about when Terry Fox was trying to run across Canada,” he said. “I was pretty amazed.”
The spot on Terry’s Team is reserved for those who have survived cancer. According to the Terry Fox Run website, participants on Terry's Team are symbols of hope and a reminder of the legacy Terry left behind.
Josh doesn’t remember a lot of things from his treatment, except for the hospital food at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario.
“I ate bacon, ham and sausage – but definitely not eggs,” he said. “They were basically a scoop of margarine. That’s what it tasted like.”
He also remembers a couple other children he met in the hospital – particularly a roommate who had the same type of bone cancer as Terry Fox and had his leg removed.
“I had my neck sewed up, but I don’t remember anything else really,” Josh said.
However his mother remembers the relief of finding out her son’s type of cancer was treatable.
“When the doctors said it was Hodgkin’s, I had no idea what that was. That was the hardest,” she said. “I was thinking caskets and pallbearers.”
Although the experience wasn’t as bad as Fiona thought, it reminded her how lucky she was that it wasn’t a worse form of cancer.
“His hair fell out, but he was healthiest looking cancer kid ever in the grand scheme of things,” she said.
However, she added it was difficult for her and Josh when people would stare at him after he lost his hair.
So to take the attention away from her son, Fiona shaved her head complete with a green Mohawk.
“When people see the bald-headed grown woman, they stop staring at the little bald kid,” she said.
While Josh was in recovery, Fiona created a patch with Josh’s face and sewed it on the back.
Along with the picture of Josh, Fiona also sewed in the words, “chemo took my son’s hair but didn’t take his smile. I shaved off my hair to keep the smile there.”
To donate and learn more about the Terry Fox run, visit the website Terry Fox Foundation - A single dream. A world of hope.
