Terry Fox: A Marathon of Hope

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.

— Terry Fox

On April 12, 1980, a 21-year-old amputee from Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, dipped his artificial leg in the Atlantic Ocean at St. John's, Newfoundland, and began running west across Canada. Terry Fox had lost his right leg to cancer three years earlier.

The night before his surgery, Terry read an article about Dick Traum - an American - the first amputee to complete the New York City Marathon. Dick's story inspired Terry - he began a 14-month training program following his surgery. To his parents, Terry said he was training for a marathon, but to his close friend Douglas Alward, Terry revealed his intention to run across Canada (8,000 kilometres) to raise money and awareness for cancer research.

During his time at the hospital, Terry encountered many cancer patients (some younger than he was), and felt frustrated by how little money was donated to cancer research. In a letter to the Canadian Cancer Society, in which he informed them of his goal and asked for funding, he explained:

...as I went through the 16 months of the physically and emotionally draining ordeal of chemotherapy, I was rudely awakened by the feelings that surrounded and coursed through the cancer clinic. There were faces with the brave smiles, and the ones who had given up smiling. There were feelings of hopeful denial, and the feelings of despair. My quest would not be a selfish one. I could not leave knowing these faces and feelings would still exist, even though I would be set free from mine. Somewhere the hurting must stop... and I was determined to take myself to the limit for this cause.

After Terry receiving donations from sponsors and completing some medical checks, the Canadian Cancer Society committed to support Terry's run.

As Terry dipped his artificial leg into the Atlantic Ocean, he filled two bottles with water - one for him, to keep as a souvenir, and the other, to pour into the Pacific when he reached his destination - Victoria, B.C.

The map below shows the route Terry Fox took across Canada.

He began on April 12, 1980 in St. John's, Newfoundland (the white dot on the map). He ran the equivalent of a marathon every day on one leg, and covered 5,373 kilometres in 143 days, raising $1.7 million before being forced to stop outside Thunder Bay, Ontario (the red dot on the map), when his cancer returned.

Though Terry passed away on June 28, 1981, at just 22 years old, his legacy was only just beginning.

The Terry Fox Foundation, established by his family, has since raised over $900 million for cancer research worldwide. What began as one young man's courageous journey across Canada has become a global movement that transcends borders and brings people together in the fight against cancer.

The annual Terry Fox Run now takes place in more than 25 countries around the world, including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and many others. For example, the Seoul International School in South Korea held their third annual Terry Fox Run in 2024, with students and families participating in this Canadian tradition on the other side of the Pacific Ocean.

Many American communities also hold annual Terry Fox Runs. The Terry Fox Foundation lists the following participating communities on its website: Atlanta, Georgia; Charlotte, North Carolina; Chandler, Arizona; Dayton, Ohio; Denver, Colorado; Madison, Wisconsin; New York City, New York; Santa Monica, California; and Silicon Valley, California.

I don't feel that this is unfair. That's the thing about cancer. I'm not the only one, it happens all the time to people. I'm not special.

— Terry Fox

Terry Fox is an undisputed Canadian hero. A 1999 survey named him "Canada's Greatest Hero," and he came second in CBC program called "The Greatest Canadian" in 2004.

If you want to donate to the Terry Fox Foundation, you can do so here.