He was just an ordinary kid with a crazy idea. But to millions of Canadians, he is one of the greatest heroes this country has ever produced.
On Monday, July 28, VisionTV honours the 50th birthday of Terry Fox with an evening of special programming that celebrates his life and legacy.
In 1977, at the age of 18, Terry Fox lost his right leg to cancer. Three years later, he hatched an improbable scheme: to run from coast to coast, on one prosthetic leg, to raise money for cancer research.
His run began, with little fanfare, in St. John’s, Newfoundland on April 12, 1980. By early summer, the “Marathon of Hope” had captivated Canadians, who followed Fox’s progress daily on television and in newspapers.
On September 1, after 143 days and 5,373 kilometres, Fox was forced to stop his run near Thunder Bay, Ontario: cancer had spread to his lungs.
Terry Fox died on June 28, 1981, at the age of 22. He had succeeded in raising more than $24 million for cancer research.
Countless men and women have been inspired by his example. The Terry Fox Run for cancer research is now an annual tradition in dozens of countries, and has helped to raise more than $400 million.
For more information, please visit the official Web site of the Terry Fox Foundation: www.terryfoxrun.org.
