When Terry Daly was lying in a hospital bed at Chilliwack General, she saw a sign.
Well, it was more of a plaque, attached to a fetal heart rate monitor. It read: Run For Mom.
The plaque was a reminder of the good work that's been accomplished through the fundraising efforts of the Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation's annual running event. For 16 years, all the funds raised have been used to purchase items for the maternity ward at CGH, exclusively.
And for many of those years, Daly had been a runner in those events. She had missed the last few runs, but while lying there benefitting from the very machines she may have helped to purchase, she was motivated to run again.
"Just being in the position of needing that heart rate monitor, and seeing the little plaque on there, it just made me feel so good," she said.
So, this weekend she'll place her seven-month-old son Fraser into his stroller and hit the trail once again.
"I think I'll probably run/walk," she clarifies, in the easier 5K portion of the event. And she won't be alone. When Daly first completed the Run for Mom, she was joining up with her husband's family.
Once Daly started running, her own family joined her, too. This year, there will be nine of them (Fraser included) taking part.
Historically, the Run for Mom has always taken place on Mother's Day. But this year, organizers decided to try something new. They pushed the run to the Saturday just prior, to give all moms — the volunteers, organizers and runners themselves — the day off.
Like many other runners and walkers, Daly is working to raise funds.
Even though the event is this weekend, it's not too late to take part.
The Run For Mom has a goal of reaching a $20,000 benchmark, which will help them with this year's purchase of an infant resuscitator.
Registration is available online at run4mom.kintera.org, and there will be a registration table at the event.
There are three separate run routes, for all levels of ability, including a fun 1K run, a 5K route and a 10K.
The run starts at 10 a.m., from the parade square in Lot 7 of the UFV Canada Education Park.
jpeters@theprogress.com