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Terrance Stanley Fox

by Hiten from Toronto, Canada

Terry Fox (www.cbc.ca)
Terry Fox (www.cbc.ca)

Terry Fox was not a political leader or famous athlete. He was not wealthy, nor was he particularly intelligent. He was an ordinary person with an extraordinary dream. Motivated by his own experiences, he would embark on a journey that would change the face of cancer forever.

Terrence Stanley Fox was born on the 28th of July 1958 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He had two brothers and a sister, with whom he grew up in Port Coquitlam in British Columbia.

At only 18 years of age, Terry had already had a serious bout with osteogenic sarcoma, a type of bone cancer. He gave up his leg to the disease. While getting treated, the suffering of other patients inspired Terry. His empathy was so great, that he decided to make a difference. Despite still recovering from cancer and using an artificial leg, Terry formulated a plan. He would run across the country in order to raise awareness and money for cancer research. His journey would be called the Marathon of Hope and it would create a legacy that is still alive in many of our hearts.

On the foggy St. John’s morning that was April 12, 1980, Terry Fox began his Marathon of Hope by dipping his artificial leg in the Atlantic Ocean. Many believed Terry’s idea to be crazy, but his belief in himself kept him going. Every day, he would experience the torture of running over 40km a day with a prosthetic leg. Although there were many kind hearts along the way, there were many hardships as well. In Quebec, he was not well accepted. Drivers would speed past him on the highway, and he was often forced off the road. Months of running left Terry wearisome, but he would never stray from his vision. It was not his athletic ability that kept him going, it was his sheer determination and willpower. Terry Fox stared adversity in the face and kept going.

Terry quickly began to inspire other people to give to his cause. When he arrived in Ontario, famous athletes and actors alike commended Terry for his courage. Darryl Sittler said he had “never seen any (athlete) with his courage and stamina." By the halfway point on his trip, Terry had managed to raise over 11 million dollars for cancer research.

Despite Terry’s determination, cancer would catch up to him. After an analysis at the hospital, it was determined that Terry had a 10% chance of defeating the cancer. While undertaking chemotherapy treatments, his support in Canada was tremendous. People all over the country created fundraisers to produce as much money as they could for cancer research. On June 28, 1981, Canada lost a true hero. Through his efforts, Terry Fox raised 24.17 million dollars; his dream of raising $1 for each of the 24.1 million people in Canada was indeed accomplished. The money donated would not stop there; even today the legacy of Terry Fox continues to live on.

Terry has not been forgotten. Every year, a Terry Fox run is held in 60 countries, and so far, 350 million dollars has been raised for cancer research. In 2004, Terry Fox was voted by Canadians to be the 2nd greatest Canadian in history, ahead of the likes of Pierre Trudeau, Sir John A. Macdonald and Wayne Gretzky.

Terry Fox is a hero because he has inspired many around the world to take action like him and follow their dreams. As he put it himself, "I just wish people would realize that anything's possible if you try. Dreams are made if people try." He has proved that an ordinary person can make a difference in the world despite disabilities. His determination will never be forgotten as his legacy lives on.

Page created on 6/14/2006 12:00:00 AM

Last edited 6/14/2006 12:00:00 AM

The beliefs, viewpoints and opinions expressed in this hero submission on the website are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs, viewpoints and opinions of The MY HERO Project and its staff.

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"...anything is possible if you try."