Terry Fox

Terry Fox was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada on July 28, 1958. He was into baseball, soccer, and rugby. He also wanted to play basketball but he was a poor player at the time. He was raised in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia. Terry went to the Simon Fraser University to study physical education. In 1977, Terry had such intense pain in his knee that he could barely stand. When he went to the hospital, the doctors discovered that he had osteogenic sarcoma, which is a type of bone cancer. When Terry Fox was brought to the hospital, he met other cancer patients, a lot of them younger than him. He was mad because so little money was used for cancer research, so he turned that anger into a mission. He was going to run a marathon across Canada.

When Terry got out of the hospital, he started to walk and run on his new leg. He fell down often, but he just got back up and tried again. He planned to run 4800 kilometres before he would start the marathon. After he had achieved this goal, he announced to his parents that he was going to start a marathon. Up until then he kept his dream a secret. He was driven to the east cost of Nova Scotia. Right then he wasn't very famous, but he soon would be.

Terry running (http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/pix/terry_fox_cp_385993.jpg)

Terry Fox dipped his artificial foot into the Atlantic Ocean by Nova Scotia to signify the start of his marathon. He filled three bottles of water that he would empty into the Pacific Ocean to end his journey. He set off with a spirit full of hope and his best friend, Doug Alward. He said at the beginning of his marathon that if everyone gave a dollar, there would be 22 million dollars to spend on cancer research. He also said that there was no reason not to give just one dollar.

Terry was very competitive during his marathon. He wanted to make the people who were running with him work. While they only ran two or three miles, he ran 42 miles every day. He said that if he had run to a doctor every time he had a cyst or abrasion, he would still be in Nova Scotia. In the cities and towns that he ran through, people were lined up along the streets, clapping for him. He felt like he was floating through the air. That kind of experience happened many times, and was one he couldn't forget . He finally got people to acknowledge cancer and to do something to fight against it.

Terry Fox Foundation (http://www.navy.forces.gc.ca/cms_images/ship_site_images/ship_gallery/330/Terry%20FoxL.jpg)

One of Terry's inspiring quotes was, "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. This just intensifies what I did. It gives it more meaning. It'll inspire more people. I just wish that people would realize that anything is possible if you try: dreams are made possible if you try."

Unfortunately, Terry was forced to stop his marathon in Thunder Bay, Ontario when the cancer in his lungs had become unbearable. Terry fox ran 5373 kilometres. To date he has raised over 500 million dollars!

In conclusion, throughout this hard work and selfless sacrifice, Terry Fox kept a strong heart and loyal spirit. He died knowing that he had inspired many Canadians and raised more money than what he had set his goal to be. Even now, Canadians remember him by running the annual Terry Fox Run every fall and continue to raise money for cancer research. Terry was a great hero, inspiring many to run for cancer. We are very close to inventing a cure for cancer. We wouldn't be at this stage if Terry Fox hadn't run that race. He didn't give up just because he lost his leg, and he kept going until he couldn't anymore. He is a pristine example for people in the future.