Terry Fox was a Canadian athlete and cancer research activist who became a national hero through his Marathon of Hope, a cross-Canada run to raise money for cancer research. After losing one leg to bone cancer, he ran nearly a marathon each day across Canada in 1980 before cancer spread to his lungs, forcing him to stop. Despite his early death at 22, his legacy lives on through the Terry Fox Run, an annual fundraiser that has raised hundreds of millions for cancer research worldwide.

Life and Background

• Born July 28, 1958, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and raised in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia.
• Diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma (bone cancer) at age 18 in 1977, leading to the amputation of his right leg above the knee.
• An athlete and distance runner who learned to run using a prosthetic leg, completing marathons despite his disability.

Marathon of Hope

• Began running across Canada on April 12, 1980, starting in St. John's, Newfoundland.
• Ran approximately 26 miles (42 km) daily, covering 3,339 miles (5,374 km) over 143 days.
• Raised about $1.7 million during his run and inspired nationwide enthusiasm and support.
• Forced to stop near Thunder Bay, Ontario, when cancer returned in his lungs on September 1, 1980.

Legacy

• Died on June 28, 1981, at age 22.
• Remembered as one of Canada's greatest heroes, with many schools, statues, and roads named after him.
• The Terry Fox Run, started in 1981, is the world's largest one-day fundraiser for cancer research, raising over $900 million worldwide as of 2024.
• Awarded the Order of Canada posthumously and recognized nationally for his courage and humanitarianism.