Terry Fox: A leader, an inspiration and hero to many
As a teenager I was struck by the incredible drive, courage and vision of Terry Fox who undertook an incredible and extraordinary challenge to run, on one leg, across Canada. Canada in turn rallied to Terry’s side and for good reason. Terry’s life story and his Marathon of Hope provided all who read about it, heard about it, or watched it with an overwhelming sense of hope and inspiration. Over the years I have often asked myself what would possess a young person to do what he did: Run a marathon a day, on one leg, across Canada, coast to coast, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.
In true Terry Fox and Canadian fashion his journey would start very modestly with an old van, a good friend and his brother. That would not be how it ended!
Terry Fox embarked on his Marathon of Hope and continued his fight against cancer in typical Canadian fashion – quietly, with no fanfare, no national media, just himself, his brother Darrell and best friend Doug Allard in a van. There was no social media to send out tweets, no Facebook, no Instagram to post progress and rally followers to donate to his Marathon of Hope for Cancer Research. No click this button to donate to his Marathon of Hope.
How does this happen and who would have the courage to undertake such a journey? Terry’s venture was without today’s knowledge of proper nutrition, training programs and rehab. Absent were the trainers, massage therapists, chiropractors, support crews, corporate donors and logistical support teams that such efforts now garner. During much of the early days of his Marathon of Hope, Terry, Darrell and Doug personally collected cash on the road as Terry ran his marathon a day. Much of the promotion and awareness in the early days of Terry’s Marathon of Hope was built one community, one church hall, one local newspaper, radio and tv station at a time.
What I witnessed as a teenager will have occurred 42 years ago this Spring 2022. On April 12, 1980, Terry Fox embarked on his Marathon of Hope to run across Canada, however, his personal marathon began on March 9, 1977 when doctors found a malignant tumour in his right leg. He was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. The diagnosis changed Terry’s life and soon he would change the lives of others. Terry had his right leg amputated above his knee. The night prior to his amputation he read about Dick Traum, the first amputee to complete the New York City Marathon. That article inspired him to dream big, real big!!!
The dream was to run a marathon a day, across Canada to raise funds and awareness for cancer research. As remarkable as the enormity of this undertaking would be, we should also note that his training for his Marathon of Hope was as remarkable which included running over 5,000 kilometres. In the lead up to his cross Canada run he wrote: “I’m not a dreamer, and I’m not saying this will initiate any kind of definitive answer or cure to cancer, but I believe in miracles. I have to.”
The dream Terry dreamt in 1977 became reality when, on April 12, 1980 in St John’s, Newfoundland, he dipped his prosthetic leg into the Atlantic Ocean and began his Marathon of Hope. His journey of a marathon a day on one leg and one prosthetic leg through six provinces had begun. Sadly, on September 1, 1980, after 143 days and 5,373 kilometres Terry was forced to stop running just outside of Thunder Bay, Ontario on the northern shore of Lake Superior. The cancer had returned and had spread to his lungs. Before returning to his home province of British Columbia for a new round of cancer treatment Terry said, “I’m gonna do my very best. I’ll fight. I promise I won’t give up.” Then on September 2, 1980, Isadore Sharp, Chairman and CEO of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, sent a telegram to the Fox family with a commitment to organize a fundraising run that would be held every year in Terry’s name, “You started it. We will not rest until your dream to find a cure for cancer is realized.”
Terry’s dream, efforts and character epitomizes the heart and soul of Canada and what it means to be Canadian. Terry dreamt big, led with his heart, convictions and ultimately with his extraordinary actions. He knew that Canada would come together, and that Canada was a generous and charitable country. He knew that Canadians would step up and participate in his dream to raise funds and awareness to fight cancer.
Terry would succumb to cancer on June 28, 1981 and later that year the first Terry Fox Run took place on September 13, 1981. That first run has been followed every year since by The Terry Fox Run which has now grown to involve millions of participants across Canada and over 60 countries around the world. The Terry Fox Run is now the world’s largest one-day fundraiser for cancer research. Over $850 million has been raised in Terry’s name. Great leaders turn dreams into reality, they draw people together in a shared vision and mission. Terry knew this was never going to be about him – if it was, he knew that the dream, purpose and mission would never become the movement that it is today. Terry created and established a movement that transcended his own extraordinary efforts. His dream and his efforts have extended well beyond his Marathon of Hope. Now millions every year around the world raise funds and awareness for Cancer Research. Cancer treatments, support and new research has been funded directly from Terry’s dream and drive to do something big for others – to bring awareness and funding for Cancer Research.
It is impossible to travel Canada without noticing schools, public buildings, statues, streets, community centres and parks named in his honour. To hear and read his story today is to do so with wonder and perhaps with a certain amount of disbelief. Could his story really be true? Did this young man really run a marathon a day on one leg? Thankfully for all of us Terry’s story is very real. His story now forms an important part of Canada’s culture, history and heritage. Terry’s story continues to play out for all who hear it. His story is a story about adversity, perseverance, hope and triumph. Despite the cards life dealt Terry, he showed us all, that we can, despite our circumstance and challenges, find a greater purpose in life, a purpose that will enable us to live life to the fullest, help others and in doing so help ourselves.
Upon the death of Terry Fox, Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau said,
“It occurs very rarely in the life of a nation that the courageous spirit of one person unites all people in the celebration of his life and in the mourning of his death … We do not think of him as one who was defeated by misfortune but as one who inspired us with the example of the triumph of the human spirit over adversity.”
#TerryFoxRun http://www.terryfox.org