Terry Fox - The Marathon of Hope

Athlete and Humanitarian

Born: July 28, 1958. Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Died: June 28, 1981, New Westminster, Canada

Terry fox was an athlete and activist whose Marathon of Hope captured Canada’s attention and raised funds for cancer research.

Born on July 28, 1958, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and raised in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia Fox found a deep love for sports as a childhood and teenager, especially for basketball and running. He was 18 years old and attending Simon Fraser University when he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer. The disease progressed, leading to the amputation of his right leg above the knee. Fox continued running as he recovered, and by 1979, he was able to complete a marathon with a prosthetic leg.

Inspired by the stories of the other cancer patients that he met during his recovery and encouraged by an article he read about Dick Traum (an amputee who had run the New York City Marathon), Fox became determined to use his athletic abilities to raise awareness and funds for cancer research. A few months after he had completed his first marathon post-diagnosis, he set a goal to run across Canada by covering a marathon distance of 42 kilometers (26 miles) each day. The aim of his ambitious journey, which would become known as the Marathon of Hope, was to raise one dollar for each of Canada's 24 million people.

He began on April 20, 1980. Despite initial skepticism and the grueling physical challenge, his run quickly gained momentum, capturing the public’s attention not just as a physical feat, but as a powerful statement of hope and resilience. Running consecutive long distances with a prosthetic leg through various terrains and weather conditions caused immense pain, yet Fox remained undeterred. His long days of running, starting at 4:30 in the morning and often ending around 7 pm, were sometimes spent in solitude and sometimes in the company of hundreds of people. Over the course of his journey, he stopped in over 400 schools, towns, and cities to talk about the Marathon of Hope.

The media coverage and public support grew exponentially as Fox progressed. His story was being followed avidly across Canada, and by the time he reached Ontario, massive crowds greeted him. Even though he became seen as a symbol of hope across the country, he made it clear: his goal was not to raise attention for himself, but for his cause. He stated, “To me, being famous myself is not the idea of the run, and it wasn’t from the very beginning.”

After 143 days and 5,373 kilometers (3,339 miles), Terry was forced to stop when his cancer spread to his lungs. He had raised over $1.7 million, and even though he could not complete his run, his efforts continued to inspire. Donations surged, and he lived to see the Marathon of Hope exceed his original goal, raising $24.2 million in funding for cancer research. Terry Fox passed away on June 28, 1981, at the age of 22.

Fox encouraged a nationwide dialogue about cancer and the importance of research and funding. His legacy lives on through ongoing research, annual runs, and the millions of lives he has touched with his story of courage and hope. The annual Terry Fox Run, first held in 1981, has grown into one of the world’s largest fundraisers for cancer research, with millions of participants in over 30 countries. To date, the Terry Fox Foundation has raised over $900 million for cancer research, and The Terry Fox Research Institute, established in 2007, continues to advance cancer research.

References:
"Terry Fox." Terry Fox Foundation, www.terryfox.org.
"Terry Fox - The Marathon of Hope." Canadian Encyclopedia, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca.
“Terry’s Legacy.” Terry’s Legacy, Terry Fox Humanitarian Award Program, terryfoxawards.ca/terrys-story.

Keywords:
Civil Rights, Justice, Courage, Perseverance, Freedom, Responsibility, Challenge Injustices, Stand Up for Your Beliefs

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