Terry Fox

(www.terryfoxrun.org)

Terrance Stanley Fox was born on July 28, 1958, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He was named after his uncles from both sides of the family. Terry had three siblings: an older brother named Fred, and two younger siblings, Judith and Darrell. Like other kids, Terry attended school and enjoyed playing basketball with friends. When Fox was 18 he lost his leg to cancer. On April 12, 1980, Terry Fox started his Marathon of Hope, to raise money for the Canadian Cancer Society. Outside of Thunder Bay, Ontario, the cancer spread to his lungs. Terry died on June 28, 1981, exactly one month before his 23rd birthday.

Terry Fox was a very determined young man. He trained for fourteen months and ran for 143 days, crossing two thirds of Canada with an artificial leg. Terry ran an average of twenty-six miles per day, without giving into the pain. Terry said, "The running I can do, even if I have to crawl every last mile." Also, when Terry first started running in St. John's Newfoundland, very little people noticed him and he found it hard to gain people's attention. He didn't give up though. Terry kept running until people started getting involved by making donations.

(www.terryfoxrun.org)

Terry did his best to help cancer victims, but he was imperfect in many ways. Fox said, "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." Terry never thought that he was any more important than the next person. That's why when he found out about the cancer, he never wondered "why me?" Instead he went out and made a difference, even with his disadvantages. Terry, also was never able to finish his goal. Terry only made it two thirds across Canada before the cancer had spread to his lungs. The doctors had given him strict orders to stop running instantly. It had taken over, and he wasn't able to accomplish his dream.

Terry was also a very caring person. While in the hospital, Terry, was overwhelmed by the suffering of other cancer patients, many of them young children. Terry had said, "Somewhere the hurting must stop." After the experience in the hospital, Fox, decided to run the Marathon of Hope in order to raise money for cancer research. It would never help him, but it would help future cancer victims and he didn't want to see anyone else go through what he had gone through.

(www.terryfoxrun.org)

Terry was a very caring, determined young man. He ran the Marathon of Hope in order to help future cancer patients. To date, over $350 million dollars has been raised for cancer research in Terry's name. Again, it would never help him, but he didn't want others to suffer the way he did. Even with an artificial leg, it didn't stop him or slow him down. Eventually the cancer had spread to his lungs and he died a month later. Terry was never able to finish his dream, but he will be remembered for many years to come.