Terry Fox Canada’s Greatest Hero & Inspiration

‘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. I just wish people would realize that anything’s possible if you try, dreams are made possible if you try” – Terry Fox

Terry Fox is Canada’s greatest Hero and Inspiration.

Thirty years ago this week on April 12, 1980 Terry Fox dipped his artificial leg into the Pacific Ocean in St. John’s Newfoundland, Canada and set off to run across Canada, his run titled “Marathon Of Hope”. Unfortunately his run ended in Thunder Bay, Ontario on September 1, 1980 after the cancer had spread to his lungs.

Terry ran an average of a marathon – 42 kilometers, 26 miles – every day for 143 days on one real leg and one artificial leg.

The name Terry Fox is synonymous to courage and inspiration.Terry Fox was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. After losing his right leg at age 20 to cancer and while in the hospital going through chemo, he was affected by the amount of suffering in the cancer ward and decided that, “Somewhere the hurting must stop”. He decided to run across Canada to raise funds for cancer research.

Terry passed away in June 1981, one month short of his 23 rd birthday. However, four months earlier he achieved his dream of raising one dollar from every Canadian. Terry Fox remains a Canadian hero, inspiring numerous events each year.

He had a goal of raising USD 1 million for the cancer research and ended up raising a USD 22 million. Since the last Thirty years The Terry Fox Foundation has contributed more than USD 500 million to battle the disease that forced him to withdraw halfway across the country and which claimed his life in 1981. He did not seek fame, his only intention was the was to help and inspire those, who like himself had been ravaged by cancer.

Terry embodied much of what is best about Canada – selflessness, honesty, determination and incredible attitude. Thirty years after he began his quest, his legacy continues to uplift us. We all need a role model like Terry Fox in our lives, he keeps reminding us that nothing is impossible if you try.

Did you see Terry run across Canada or have a story to share please let us know.