Terry Fox — Port Coquitlam, BC
Posted by: 
Dunbar Loop
N 49° 15.737 W 122° 46.842
10U E 515955 N 5456636
The impact of Terry Fox's legacy in Canada is something that is still felt three decades after he died.
Waymark Code: WMRNA1
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Date Posted: 07/12/2016
Views: 5
Terry Fox grew up in Port Coquitlam and became an athlete through distance running and basketball. However at age 22 Terry had a leg amputated because of cancer.
Determined to bring the fight against cancer into the public eye and to raise funds Terry gathered a group of friends to support him on a cross-Canada run to raise awareness and funds for cancer research. At this time such awareness campaigns were unheard of, let alone the task of one individual with an amputated leg trying to run across Canada - a distance of 7,370 kilometers.
Most organizations and people did not believe that this early 20s man would accomplish this task nor raise awareness. The first part of the run was accomplished in almost silence. Even the media tended not pay attention. However once through Quebec there was enormous focus on this man running a marathon every day. Speaking in front of hundreds and thousands of people at rallies. His perseverance was unwavering.
But Terry did not complete his run. The cancer continued to spread through his body and when he reached a point near Thunder Bay, Ontario - after 143 days and 5,373 kilometers - Terry had to stop.
At a press conference near the end Terry said:
That's the thing about cancer. I'm not the only one, it happens all the time to people. I'm not special. This just intensifies what I did. It gives it more meaning. It'll inspire more people… I just wish people would realize that anything's possible if you try. When I started this Run, I said that if we all gave one dollar, we'd have $22 million for cancer research, and I don't care, man, there's no reason that isn't possible. No reason.
Terry died the following year.
Yet his legacy carries on. Every September to this day there are Terry Fox runs across Canada and elsewhere in the world. And that $22 million that he raised for cancer research has now reached $650 million.
Terry Fox remains an inspiration to people all around the world to believe that cancer can be beaten.
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