Terry Fox

Terry Fox was a brave runner.

He lost a leg to cancer. He used a special leg to run.

Terry wanted to help others. He ran across Canada to raise money. He ran a long way every day.

People loved to help him. They gave money to help sick people. This helped doctors find new cures.

Many people still run for him. They do a special run every year. It helps people all over the world.

Terry is a hero in Canada. Many parks and roads have his name. He showed us how to be brave.

Terry Fox was a brave athlete from Canada.

He loved sports like basketball and running. In 1977, he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. This is a type of cancer. Doctors had to remove his right leg.

Terry did not let this stop him. He used an artificial leg to run. He started a big project called the Marathon of Hope. He wanted to run across all of Canada. His goal was to raise money for cancer research. He hoped to get one dollar from every person in Canada.

In April 1980, he began his run. He ran a full marathon every single day. This was very hard work. He had to hop-step to use his artificial leg. It caused him much pain. Many people cheered for him as he ran. They gave money to help doctors find cures.

Terry had to stop his run near Thunder Bay. The cancer had spread to his lungs. He died in 1981. Today, millions of people join the Terry Fox Run. It is a huge way to help people with cancer.

Terry Fox was a brave Canadian athlete and humanitarian.

He loved playing basketball and running long distances. In 1977, he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a type of cancer. Doctors had to remove his right leg to help him.

He used an artificial leg to keep moving. Terry even played wheelchair basketball and won three national titles. He was a very determined person who loved sports.

In 1980, Terry started a huge project called the Marathon of Hope.

He wanted to run across all of Canada to raise money for cancer research. His goal was to get one dollar from every person in Canada. At that time, there were 24 million people in the country. He ran the distance of a full marathon every single day. Running was hard because of his artificial leg. He had to use a special hop-step motion to move. This caused him bone bruises, blisters, and a lot of pain.

Terry began his journey on April 12, 1980. He started in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. He dipped his right leg into the Atlantic Ocean to start. He carried two bottles of ocean water with him. He wanted to pour one into the Pacific Ocean at the end. His friend Doug Alward drove a van to support him. Terry faced heavy rain, snowstorms, and strong winds early on. He also had an enlarged heart, which doctors called left ventricular hypertrophy.

As Terry ran, he became a famous national star. He traveled through provinces like Quebec and Ontario. In Montreal, he had already raised over $200,000. When he reached Ontario, people cheered with brass bands. He even met the Prime Minister, Pierre Trudeau, in Ottawa. Sadly, Terry had to stop his run near Thunder Bay. The cancer had spread to his lungs. He passed away on June 28, 1981. He was only 23 years old.

Terry's work did not end with his run. The annual Terry Fox Run began in 1981. It is now the world's largest one-day fundraiser for cancer research. Millions of people in over 60 countries participate every year. More than C$1 billion has been raised in his name. People honor him with many statues, roads, and parks. He is remembered as a true hero who believed in miracles.

Terry Fox was a Canadian athlete, humanitarian, and activist for cancer research.

Born in 1958, he was a competitive distance runner and a talented basketball player. He attended Simon Fraser University, where he studied kinesiology to become a physical education teacher. Fox's life changed in 1977 when he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. This is a type of cancer that often begins near the knee. Because of this disease, doctors had to amputate his right leg.

Even after losing his leg, Fox remained active. He won three national championships playing wheelchair basketball. He also continued to run using an artificial leg.

In 1980, Fox launched a massive project called the Marathon of Hope.

His goal was to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. He wanted to collect one dollar from every Canadian citizen. At that time, Canada had a population of 24 million people. To prepare, Fox followed a strict 14-month training program. Running was physically exhausting because of his prosthetic limb. He had to use an unusual hop-step gait to move forward. This motion put extra pressure on his stump and his good leg. This caused him to suffer from bone bruises, blisters, and intense pain.

Fox began his journey on April 12, 1980, in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. He performed a symbolic gesture by dipping his right leg into the Atlantic Ocean. He filled two large bottles with ocean water to carry with him. He planned to pour one bottle into the Pacific Ocean once he reached the west coast. His friend, Doug Alward, supported him by driving a van and preparing meals. The early days of the run were difficult. Fox had to face gale-force winds, heavy rain, and even snowstorms.

As the run progressed, Fox's fame grew across the country. He faced several medical and logistical challenges along the way. Doctors had diagnosed him with left ventricular hypertrophy, which is an enlarged heart. This is a condition often seen in athletes, but doctors warned him of the risks. In Quebec, his team struggled because they could not speak French. In Montreal, he had already raised more than $200,000 for research. A businessman named Isadore Sharp helped the cause significantly. Sharp pledged $2 for every mile Fox ran and helped recruit 1,000 other corporations to donate.

When Fox reached Ontario, he was treated like a major celebrity. Thousands of people lined the streets to cheer for him. He was even greeted by brass bands and escorted by the Ontario Provincial Police. In Ottawa, he met Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and Governor General Ed Schreyer. He also performed a ceremonial kickoff at a Canadian Football League game. However, the physical toll and the disease eventually caught up to him. The cancer spread to his lungs, forcing him to stop his run near Thunder Bay. Fox passed away on June 28, 1981, at the age of 23.

Though his run ended, his mission grew much larger. The annual Terry Fox Run began in 1981 to keep his memory alive. It has since become the world's largest one-day fundraiser for cancer research. Today, millions of people participate in the run in more than 60 different countries. Through the Terry Fox Research Institute, over C$1 billion has been raised in his name. This money helps scientists study and fight cancer around the world.

Terry Fox is remembered as a national hero in Canada.

Many landmarks have been named to honor his courage and determination. You can find statues, roads, and parks named after him throughout the country. He was recognized with several high honors during his life. He was the youngest person to become a Companion of the Order of Canada. He also won the 1980 Lou Marsh Award for the nation's top sportsman. His legacy connects the world of athletics to the vital field of medical research.