Students at Altona's Ecole Elmwood and Ecole West Park schools hit the road Friday in support of cancer awareness and research. While official events were held across Canada on Sunday, the local students participated in their own version of the Terry Fox Run.

According to terryfox.org, Terry discovered he has a malignant tumour in his right leg in 1977. The leg was then amputated 15 centimetres (six inches) above the knee.

Two years later in February 1979, Terry began training for his Marathon of Hope, a cross-Canada run to raise money for cancer research and awareness. The trek ultimately raised $24.17 million.

The first Terry Fox Run was held in 1981 at more than 760 sites in Canada and around the world. The event attracted 300,000 participants and raised $3.5 million.