Terry Fox was born on July 28, 1958, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and raised in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia. He came from a close-knit family with supportive parents, Betty and Rolly Fox, and three siblings. Growing up, he was deeply involved in sports and known for his perseverance and quiet determination. He attended Simon Fraser University, where he studied kinesiology and joined the junior varsity basketball team despite being told he wasn’t tall enough to make it.
In 1977, Terry was diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma, a form of bone cancer, which led to the amputation of his right leg above the knee. At that time, treatment options were limited, and amputation was the most common course of action. Inspired by Dick Traum, the first amputee to complete the New York City Marathon, Terry decided to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. His goal was ambitious: one dollar from every Canadian, totaling $24 million. With that vision, the Marathon of Hope was born.
Beginning on April 12, 1980, in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Terry ran a marathon a day—despite an artificial leg, pain, and exhaustion. His journey ended 143 days and 5,373 kilometers later, near Thunder Bay, Ontario, when the cancer returned. Though he was forced to stop, the nation rallied behind him, and his fundraising goal was met within months. Terry passed away in June 1981, but his vision only grew stronger.
Today, the Terry Fox Foundation has raised over $850 million for cancer research. Countless individuals, from athletes like Steve Nash and Rick Hansen to world leaders and schoolchildren, cite Terry Fox as a role model. His run not only raised money, it changed the way cancer was perceived and discussed, catalyzing a national and global movement.
Modern treatment for osteosarcoma has advanced considerably since Terry’s diagnosis. Today, many patients no longer need amputation thanks to limb-salvage surgery and targeted chemotherapy. In this sense, a correlation can be drawn between Terry’s Marathon of Hope and the advancements we now see in cancer treatment. His influence drove massive public awareness, unprecedented funding, and long-term investments in oncology research. His legacy isn’t just measured in dollars raised or miles run—it’s evident in the lives saved and the treatments made possible.
Citations:
Canadian Encyclopedia. (2022). Terry Fox. Retrieved from https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/terry-fox
Terry Fox Foundation. (n.d.). Our Story. Retrieved from https://terryfox.org/terrys-story/
Canadian Cancer Society. (n.d.). Osteosarcoma. Retrieved from https://cancer.ca/
Terry Fox Research Institute. (n.d.). About Us. Retrieved from https://www.tfri.ca/