Remembering a Canadian hero

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 10/08/2022 (299 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Terrance Stanley Fox, better known as Terry Fox, was born in Winnipeg on July 28, 1958. He lived in Transcona as a young child, and his family moved to British Columbia when he was eight years old.

At the age of 18, Terry, who had been an enthusiastic athlete in high school, was diagnosed with a form of bone cancer that resulted in his right leg being amputated above the knee.

Touched by the struggles of the young cancer patients he met in hospital, Terry wanted to do something to help bring attention to, and raise money for, cancer research.

Terry set out to run across Canada, and on April 12, 1980 he marked the beginning of his journey by dipping his artificial leg in the Atlantic Ocean in St. John’s, N.L. He named his journey the Marathon of Hope.

Amazingly, Terry ran an average of 42 kilometres per day no matter the weather, en route to Victoria, British Columbia.

Unfortunately, Terry’s run came to an end just outside of Thunder Bay, Ont., after 143 days, as it was discovered that the cancer that had claimed his leg ahd spread to his lungs.

Although Terry had to end his marathon early, donations kept coming, resulting in over $24 million being raised.

While in hospital, Terry was contacted by Isadore Sharp, Canadian hotelier and author, who offered to help him raise funds for cancer research by supporting an annual fundraiser. The event was appropriately named the Terry Fox Run.

Over 300,000 Canadians participated in the first Terry Fox Run, which raised $3.5 million dollars. The run has since gone global with runners participating in more than 60 countries. It is the world’s largest one-day fundraiser for cancer research.

Sadly, Terry Fox passed away on June 28, 1981, prior to the first Terry Fox Run. He was only 22 years old.

This year, the Terry Fox Run will take place on Sept. 18. Individuals can show support for the cause by sponsoring a team, participating in a run or hosting an event. There is also the option to volunteer at an event or donate funds directly to the Terry Fox Foundation. Over $800 million has been raised worldwide for cancer research in the name of Terry Fox.

In 2014, Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger announced a plan to rename the Monday of the August long weekend to Terry Fox Day. The name change came to be as a result of Manitobans’ desire to honour the memory of the Canadian hero.

For more information on Terry and how you can help further the cause of defeating cancer through research, please visit terryfox.org