Terry Fox

Terry Fox running during the Marathon of Hope (www.google.com)

My hero is Terry Fox. He is my hero because when he was young, he got bone cancer and had to have his right leg amputated, and during his recovery, he decided to raise funds for cancer research by running across Canada. Terry Fox could only run very short distances when he first started training with his new artificial leg, but he believed in himself, and his commitment to finding a cure for cancer helped him the whole way through it. It took him 16 months to train and then he was ready for his big run. On April 12, 1980, to mark the beginning of the Marathon of Hope, Terry Fox dipped his artificial leg in the Atlantic Ocean in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador.

For five months, Terry Fox’s progress received lots of support and attention in the Canadian press. During the run, many people stood on the sides of the road to cheer him on, and many others would watch and learn more about him and the Marathon of Hope on television. As a result, the Marathon of Hope was a great success!

Sculpture of Terry Fox (www.google.com)

However, on September the 1st, Terry Fox was forced to stop the run near Thunder Bay, Ontario, when they found that the cancer had spread to his lungs. He had run for 143 days and 5372 km (3339 mi), nearly a marathon (42,2 km 26.2 mi) a day.

Unfortunately, he died a few months later, before his 23rd birthday. Terry Fox raised more than $24 million for cancer research. His efforts inspired not just me, but many other people in Canada and even around the world. His efforts helped many other people with cancer to carry on the fight.