Over 40 years ago, a young man set out to walk across Canada—an unbelievable challenge for even the fittest and healthiest person. What made this journey special was this brave young man had lost a leg to cancer at the age of 18. As Terry Fox dipped his prosthetic leg into the Atlantic Ocean to start his Marathon of Hope, no-one could have predicted the effect he would have on the lives of so many.

In this last post of my Breast Cancer Awareness Month series, I reflect on what Terry meant to me during my personal battle with cancer. I’ll also share Terry’s story through the eyes and words of my daughter Colleen, in an article she wrote for a school assignment when she was 12.

This post was originally published in October 2020 and updated in August 2023.

What Terry’s Marathon of Hope means to me

I remember watching the news every day in the summer of 1980 and being inspired by Terry’s journey. At the time, I was 16 and Terry was just 22, not much older than me. I cried the day he had to stop his marathon just outside Thunder Bay because his cancer had returned. I cried again on June 28, 1981 when I heard that the cancer Terry had fought so hard to beat had claimed his life.

June 28, 1981. Fast forward 30 years to June 28, 2011. That’s the day I was diagnosed with breast cancer. It would be a couple of years before I connected the dots that my diagnosis came on the anniversary of Terry’s death.

During my cancer treatments, I thought about Terry a lot. Remembering him, and the bravery he showed, was an incredible source of hope and inspiration to me. I remember thinking “If Terry could do what he did, I can get through this. I can get out of bed in the morning and face the world. I can carry on with my life. I have to. It’s what Terry would do.”

In my opinion, Terry Fox is the greatest hero Canada has ever seen. I often wonder if my experience would have been different without the strength I got from thinking about Terry. I’m sure I’m not the only person he helped. Terry’s story is one of perseverance, bravery and triumph over adversity. It’s something we can all learn from.

People take it the wrong way when I say I want to run alone. But I have to do it my own way. I have to really concentrate to ignore the pain and keep going. Sometimes I’m actually crying while I’m running but I just don’t think about it.

Terry Fox

Terry’s story as told by Colleen

Instead of telling Terry’s story myself, I asked my daughter Colleen’s permission to share an article she wrote when she was in Grade 7. She was just 12 years old when she wrote this, and she won a Young Author’s Award for her work. Here are Colleen’s words:

Cancer Claims Canada’s Greatest Hero

Great Canadian hero, Terrance Stanley Fox of age twenty-two, succumbed to his illness at Royal Columbian Hospital, New Westminster, British Columbia. This abhorrently tragic event happened just one day ago, on June 28, 1981, after his cancer had severely returned in his lungs, almost one year ago. Determination, courage, inspiring; qualities that any person would love to possess. Well, Terry Fox had all of these, and many more. At the very young age of eighteen, Terry was diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma, requiring the amputation of his right leg, fifteen centimeters above the knee. This turn of sorrow in his life, did not cause any of his amazing qualities to diminish.  

His amputation surgery happened just five days after his diagnosis, a very short time to wait. The night before his operation, Terry read a magazine story about an amputee running a marathon. This sparked Terry’s burning desire to run. Given to him by his former grade eight teacher, Terri Fleming, that article really influenced him.

Prosthetic leg and all, he worked extra hard to get back into his normal routine. Terry hated all the suffering and grief that a hospital carried with it, so he couldn’t wait to get out. Upset by the lack of research being done for a cancer cure, Terry imagined something. He imagined a world where no one died of cancer. It was a great world, full of joy and happiness. But, imagining things won’t do anything; you have to act upon it.

Terry then had an idea, which would soon become reality. He would run across this enormous country, to raise money and awareness for this cause so dear to his heart. The “Marathon of Hope,” that’s what this initiative would be called. He would raise at least one dollar from each Canadian, that’s all he had asked. “If you’ve given one dollar, you’re a part of the Marathon of Hope.” said Fox. Doing this would help every person on Earth.  

Terry knew he had to run. He had to prevent this awful disease from ruining anyone else’s life. He wasn’t just running for a cancer cure. He would run to prevent families from being ripped apart. He would run for us. You don’t believe that he’s doing this? Take his word for it. Terry Fox said “I’m not doing this to become rich or famous.” His dream of this would happen, and Terry’s spirit wouldn’t be dampened, even when he was running in the rain.

So Terry trained and he trained, until he’d trained for fourteen months. He did back-breaking runs, and sweat litres a day. It’s definitely true that he put his blood, sweat and tears into this run. He started first by running one lap around a track near his house. Terry then added one more each week, until he had trained enough to be ready for the run coming his way. In his mind, he knew he was ready to start his cross-country run. So, to symbolize this, he dipped his artificial leg into the Atlantic Ocean, and began to run from St. John’s Newfoundland, to Victoria, B.C. And he ran, and he ran, and he ran. His endless training was finally paying off as he ran through Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, P.E.I., and Quebec, then off to Ontario. This showed that training and work will be rewarded.

It was in Ontario that money started to come in, and his Marathon of Hope started to gain popularity. His run through Toronto was an absolute fanfare. This gave him confidence that a cure would be found, and that it will happen soon. Terry ran all the way up to Thunder Bay, and on the way, noticed something strange about his breathing. It was on September 1, 1980, just east of this city, that he realized he wasn’t okay. So, his best friend, Doug Alward, who managed his run, rushed him to St. Joseph’s hospital, in his almond-coloured Ford van.

This was where he was diagnosed with the terrible cancer that had returned, this time in his lungs. Two malignant tumors were discovered, one the size of a lemon, the other a golf ball. He was transferred to a hospital closer to his Port Coquitlam home, where he could be with his family. In this hospital, doctors and other medical staff tried so hard to save him. They did every last thing that they could. Nothing worked. That’s what took us to yesterday, when he lost his battle, and his mission to survive had failed. Cancer took another victim.

Terry ran a marathon every day, without breaks. No matter how painful the journey, he would never stop. Forty-two kilometres a day, with a total of 5 373 km over the 143 days that his run lasted. Terry has passed his dreams down to us. In that Thunder Bay hospital, he said “Even if I don’t finish, we need others to continue. It’s got to keep going without me.” He gave us a task, and in his honour, we will continue.

This story, Terry Fox’s inspirational story full of courage and determination has been heard by all. His goal to raise one dollar from every Canadian has been achieved. 24.17 million dollars had been donated to the Marathon of Hope as of February 1, 1981, surpassing Canada’s population of 24.1 million people. Terry’s dream to find a cure for cancer will be achieved, and he’ll be cancer’s last victim.

“By running like this, I let people know that cancer can be beaten… that life can go on… that you define people by their ability, not disability.” Fox said in an interview part way through his run. In the short duration more that he lived, he did great things, but he is now defeated. His life will no longer go on, but his legacy that will touch every Canadian, is just the beginning, and will continue until the end of days.

Thank you Colleen for giving me permission to share your article.

Let’s keep in touch! Join my mailing list and I’ll email you when I add a new post.

The Marathon of Hope continues today

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

Forty years after Terry’s Marathon of Hope, people across Canada and around the world keep Terry’s dream alive by participating in the Terry Fox Run.

When my daughters were in elementary school, they fundraised every year for the Terry Fox School Run. They collected pledges from friends and family, sold their toys, had garage sales and donated their own money. I joined them on the run when I could and I’m very proud of the thousands of dollars they raised in Terry’s memory.

To date, the Terry Fox Foundation has raised over $850 Million dollars to support cancer research in Terry’s name—far more than the $1 from every Canadian that Terry set out to raise.

In a world where hope seems elusive, Terry Fox will always be my hero. I’ll leave you with these inspiring words from Terry himself.

How many people do something they really believe in? I just wish people would realize that anything’s possible, if you try; dreams are made, if people try.

Terry Fox