September 23, 2025
Maggie Lyons-MacFarlane, known to many as the Human Rights Officer at DAWN Canada, stepped into a different role this past weekend, one of a survivor paying tribute to Terry Fox’s legacy at the Marathon of Hope Run in Fredericton.
Maggie Lyons-MacFarlane at the Terry Fox Walk
For Maggie, Fox’s legacy is deeply personal. “Cancer has touched my life in many ways,” they said. “I had my first brush with colon cancer in 2020, when it was removed at stage one as a polyp. It returned in 2023. After surgery and chemo, it came back again this year. On August 20, I had my last chemo session of my second protocol and a planned surgery in the coming weeks.”
While Maggie’s fight continues, they shared that the ability to stand before the community is proof that Terry Fox’s dream lives on. Since Fox’s historic run in 1980, advances in cancer research and treatment have given countless survivors a chance at more time, more moments, and more hope. “Treatments have improved, and research continues to find new and innovative advancements,” Maggie said.
They credit early detection as the reason they are able to fight today and expressed hope that others; particularly women and gender-diverse people under 55, will benefit from these breakthroughs.
The weekend also carried a personal milestone: attending the Melissa Etheridge and Indigo Girls concert, where the Harvest Jazz Festival volunteers and security scrambled to more than double the size of the accessible seating. A service that they have been working hard to refine but never had to accommodate this much need before. “The concert was amazing,” Maggie said. “Having access to seating in a stand-up venue made it possible for me to enjoy the whole four hours. That kind of accessibility matters.”
The official shirt from the 2025 Terry Fox Walk, worn by participants to honour Terry’s legacy and his Marathon of Hope.
Each fall, more than 650 communities across Canada gather for the Terry Fox Run. For Maggie and thousands of others, every step taken is both a remembrance of Fox’s courage and a celebration of the progress his legacy has made possible.
