Terry Fox is a legend that every Canadian is familiar with today, but he was once a normal teen before being diagnosed with cancer in 1977. Born on July 28, 1958, Terry Stanley Fox grew up loving sports, even though he was told that he wasn’t good at it. This is where Terry began displaying his well-known tenaciety. When he wanted to make the basketball team, he didn’t give up.  

Terry was diagnosed with cancer in 1977, and had his right leg amputated above his knee. However, his competitive spirit didn’t dwindle out, and he began to dream about running across Canada, if only to challenge himself. In preparation for the Marathon of Hope, Terry trained for over 18 months, running over 500 km. Then, on April 12, 1980, at 21 years of age, he began the marathon that would inspire millions.

The Marathon of Hope began in St. John’s. Newfoundland and stretched across Canada and would end in Victoria, British Columbia. Terry began the marathon without many supporters, but as he continued, the amount of money he collected quickly grew. Terry’s run lasted for 143 days and 5373 km before a consuming pain seized him. That day, on September 1st in Thunder Bay, Ontario, he was diagnosed with lung cancer. He passed away on June 28, 1981 at 22, but not before he achieved his goal to raise $1 from each Canadian (which totalled up to around $24.1 million). Before his death, Terry Fox also became the youngest recipient of the Order of Canada. 

After Terry Fox’s death, his legacy lived on in the form of the annual Terry Fox Run. The Terry Fox Run honours his memory by continuing to raise money for cancer research. In the years since his death, the Terry Fox Foundation has raised $750 million in his memory. Every year, we participate in this fundraiser, continuing his legacy.

By: Julie Chan