Terry’s Journey: The Marathon of Hope
Terry Fox was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, but raised in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, a community near Vancouver on Canada’s west coast. An active teenager involved in many sports, Terry was only 18 years old when he was diagnosed with bone cancer and forced to have his right leg amputated six inches above the knee in 1977.
The night before his operation, Terry read an article about an amputee who had competed in the New York Marathon. Indirectly that story along with Terry’s observations of the intense suffering of cancer patients, set the stage for what would ultimately become the most important decision of his young life.
In 1980, Terry Fox inspired the nation by attempting to run across Canada on an artificial leg. He called this quest the Marathon of Hope. It’s mission was to raise money and awareness for cancer research in Canada.
With little fanfare, Terry started his journey in St. John’s, Newfoundland on April 12, 1980. Although it was difficult to garner attention in the beginning, enthusiasm soon grew, and the money collected along his route began to mount. He ran, on average, 42 kilometres a day through Canada’s Atlantic provinces, Quebec and Ontario.
It was a journey that Canadians never forgot.
However, on September 1st, after 143 days and 5,373 kilometres, Terry was forced to stop his Run outside of Thunder Bay, Ontario because the cancer had reappeared in his lungs. An entire nation was stunned and saddened.
Terry passed away on June 28, 1981 at age 22.
The heroic Canadian was gone, but his legacy was just beginning.
To date, Hundreds of Millions of dollars worldwide has been raised for cancer research in Terry’s name.
Terry Fox Timeline
July 28, 1958
Terrance Stanley Fox is born in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
February 1979
Terry begins training for his “Marathon of Hope”, a cross Canada run to raise money for cancer research. During his training he runs over 5,000 kilometres (3,000 miles).
October 15, 1979
Terry writes to potential Supports. ”I’m not a dreamer, and I’m not saying this will initiate any kind of definitive answer or cure to cancer, but I believe in miracles. I have to.”
April 12, 1980
St. John’s, Newfoundland – Terry dips his artificial leg into the Atlantic Ocean and sets out on his odyssey. He runs an average of 42 kilometres a day (26 miles) through six provinces.
September 1, 1980
After 143 days and 5,373 kilometres (3,339 miles), Terry has to stop running outside of Thunder Bay, Ontario. His Primary cancer has spread to a secondary location, his lungs. Before he flew back to BC for treatment Terry said, “I’m going to do my very best. I’ll fight. I promise I won’t give up.”
September 2, 1980
Mr. Isadore Sharp, President of Four Seasons Hotels, telegrams the Fox family with a commitment to organize a fundraising run that would be held every year in Terry’s name. He writes, “You started it. We will not rest until your dream to find a cure for cancer is realized.”
February 1, 1981
Terry’s Hope of raising $1 from every Canadian to fight cancer is realized The national population reaches 24.1million; the Terry Fox marathon of Hope funds totals $24.17 million.
June 28, 1981
After treatment with chemotherapy and interferon, Terry Fox dies at Royal Colombian Hospital, New Westminster, B.C., one month short of his twenty-third birthday. Shortly before he died, Terry said, “Maybe now instead of being afraid and saying ‘look how hard Terry tried and he still got cancer’ people will say ‘look at the effort he put in and he died of cancer – we’re really going to have to try hard in order to beat it, harder than we ever have before.
July 17, 1981
British Columbia named a 2,639 metre peak in the Rocky Mountains after Terry, 80 kilometres west of Jasper, Alberta, as a lasting symbol of Terry’s courage.
A permanent cairn was placed on the mountain top to mark the occasion.
July 30, 1981
The Canadian government crates a $5 million endowment fund named the Terry Fox Humanitarian Award to provide scholarships each year in honour of Terry Fox. The award is presented to students who demonstrate the highest ideals and qualities of citizenship and humanitarian service.
July 30, 1981
An 83 kilometre (50 miles) section of the Trans-Canada Highway, between Thunder Bay and Nipigon, is renamed the Terry Fox Courage Highway, in his honour.
August 29, 1981
Terry Fox is posthumously inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame.
September 13, 1981
The first Terry Fox Run, held at over 760 sites in Canada and around the world, attracts 300,000 participants and raises $3.5 million.
April 13, 1982
Canada Post issues a Terry Fox Stamp. Prior to this, no other stamp had been issued until 10 years after the death of the figure. Another stamp is issued on January 17, 2000 as part of a special millennium collection.
April 20, 1982
The Marathon of Hope fund now totals 27.8 million and is allocated to cancer research project in the Terry fox new initiative programs of the National Cancer Institute of Canada.
June 26, 1982
A nine-foot bronze statue of Terry Fox is unveiled the Terry Fox Lookout, a site jst off the Terry Fox Courage Highway, 12 west of Thunder Bay, Ontario. The site overlooks Lake Superior near the location where he ended his 5,373 kilometre run on September 1, 1980.
May 26, 1988
The Terry Fox run becomes a Trust, independent of the Canadian Cancer Society. The organization becomes known as the Terry Fox Foundation.
September 16, 1990
The 10th Annual Terry Fox Run marks the year of the tenth anniversary of Terry’s Marathon of Hope.
December 1990
The Sports Network (TSN) names Terry Fox “Athlete of the Decade”; the field included Wayne Gretzky and Michael Jordan.
September 22, 1996
Over 1,000,000 people participate in the Terry Fox Run in Canada and around the world.
March 9, 1997
Terry discovers he has a malignant tumour in his right leg; the leg is amputated six inches above the knee. The night before the amputation he reads about a amputee runner and dreams of running.
June 30, 1999
Terry is named “Canada’s Greatest Hero” in an internet survey sponsored by the National Post newspaper.
September 15, 2002
Revenues from the 22nd Terry Fox Run bringing the total money raised in Terry’s name close to $360 Million.
Today
The Terry Fox’s Run is held in 53 countries, hosting over 500 runs and continues to grow. It successfully raises millions of dollar annually for the ongoing research in cancer treatment.
All information was transcribed from the signs