Terry Fox: A Toe in the Ocean
Terry Fox^ of Port Coquitlam, BC, dipped his artificial leg in the Atlantic Ocean in the St John's, Newfoundland harbour on April 12th, 1980, a simple act which would set him on a path that, quite simply, changed the world.
Terry lost his leg to osteogenic sarcoma when he was only 18. On 9 March 1977, doctors amputated his right leg 15 cm above the knee. He then underwent 16 months of chemotherapy treatment at the British Columbia Cancer Control Agency in Vancouver, which caused his hair to fall out and made him nauseous. "Yet despite his suffering, he felt fortunate compared to others at the clinic, some of whom were dying. Not only did he feel compassion for them, but also a sense of responsibility that came with being one of the survivors." [1]
Terry decided then that he would run across Canada to raise money for cancer research in a "Marathon of Hope". He wasn’t doing the run to become famous; he truly wanted to create change and fund a cure for all cancers.
So, with a toe in the Atlantic and a customized running prothesis, Terry set out on his planned Marathon of Hope, which he hoped would culminate about six months later when he dipped his toe into the Pacific Ocean.
"With a double hop stride that would come to represent his determination and grit, Terry started a run and solidified his icon status and faith in the human spirit," wrote Tania Haas in Running Magazine. [2]
A Marathon A Day
Terry ran close to 42 kilometres (26 miles) a day through Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario. He ran through snow, rain, wind, heat and humidity, stopping in more than 400 towns, schools and cities to talk about why he was running.
The only thing that could have stopped Terry from completing his goal to dip his toe in the Pacific Ocean, ultimately did: cancer had appeared in his lungs.
On September 1st, after 143 days and 5,373 kilometres (3,339 miles), Terry Fox was forced to stop running his Marathon of Hope outside of Thunder Bay, Ontario.
Terry's passion for his cause continued from his hospital bed. By urging Canadians to continue to support his Marathon of Hope, he hoped that his second cancer diagnosis would help people to understand that cancer could happen to anyone, even someone who had just raised over $1.7 million for research.
Terry's Legacy
Terry died on June 28, 1981, shortly before his 23rd birthday. Although he was not able to dip his toe in the Pacific Ocean, he died having achieved his once unimaginable goal of raising $1.00 from every Canadian. More importantly, he had set in motion the framework for an event, The Terry Fox Run [3], that would ignite cancer research - not only in Canada, bit around the world - raising more than $850 million since 1980, and bringing hope and health to millions of Canadians.
PHOTO: courtesy Terry Fox Foundation
Every Kind of Hero
"To see Terry Fox run was to love him," wrote Tania Haas in Running Magazine. “Kids chased him. People who had a lost a limb were inspired by him. Communities rallied behind him,” said Sheldon Posen, curator of Terry Fox - Running to the Heart of Canada, an exhibit at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que. “He was every kind of hero you can think of.” [2]
PHOTO: courtesy Terry Fox Foundation
Read more about Terry Fox's incredible story:
▪︎ Terry's Story
▪︎ Terry Fox
▪︎ Terry Fox Run
Terrance Stanley Fox^
Terry lost his leg to osteogenic sarcoma when he was only 18. On 9 March 1977, doctors amputated his right leg 15 cm above the knee. He then underwent 16 months of chemotherapy treatment at the British Columbia Cancer Control Agency in Vancouver, which caused his hair to fall out and made him nauseous. "Yet despite his suffering, he felt fortunate compared to others at the clinic, some of whom were dying. Not only did he feel compassion for them, but also a sense of responsibility that came with being one of the survivors." [1]
Terry decided then that he would run across Canada to raise money for cancer research in a "Marathon of Hope". He wasn’t doing the run to become famous; he truly wanted to create change and fund a cure for all cancers.
Terry shows his leg to Prime Minister Trudeau
So, with a toe in the Atlantic and a customized running prothesis, Terry set out on his planned Marathon of Hope, which he hoped would culminate about six months later when he dipped his toe into the Pacific Ocean.
"With a double hop stride that would come to represent his determination and grit, Terry started a run and solidified his icon status and faith in the human spirit," wrote Tania Haas in Running Magazine. [2]
Terry's famous "double hop stride"
A Marathon A Day
Terry ran close to 42 kilometres (26 miles) a day through Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario. He ran through snow, rain, wind, heat and humidity, stopping in more than 400 towns, schools and cities to talk about why he was running.
The only thing that could have stopped Terry from completing his goal to dip his toe in the Pacific Ocean, ultimately did: cancer had appeared in his lungs.
On September 1st, after 143 days and 5,373 kilometres (3,339 miles), Terry Fox was forced to stop running his Marathon of Hope outside of Thunder Bay, Ontario.
Terry's passion for his cause continued from his hospital bed. By urging Canadians to continue to support his Marathon of Hope, he hoped that his second cancer diagnosis would help people to understand that cancer could happen to anyone, even someone who had just raised over $1.7 million for research.
Terry's Legacy
Terry died on June 28, 1981, shortly before his 23rd birthday. Although he was not able to dip his toe in the Pacific Ocean, he died having achieved his once unimaginable goal of raising $1.00 from every Canadian. More importantly, he had set in motion the framework for an event, The Terry Fox Run [3], that would ignite cancer research - not only in Canada, bit around the world - raising more than $850 million since 1980, and bringing hope and health to millions of Canadians.
Every Kind of Hero
"To see Terry Fox run was to love him," wrote Tania Haas in Running Magazine. “Kids chased him. People who had a lost a limb were inspired by him. Communities rallied behind him,” said Sheldon Posen, curator of Terry Fox - Running to the Heart of Canada, an exhibit at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que. “He was every kind of hero you can think of.” [2]
PHOTO: courtesy Terry Fox FoundationRead more about Terry Fox's incredible story:
▪︎ Terry's Story
▪︎ Terry Fox
▪︎ Terry Fox Run
Terrance Stanley Fox^
CC, Order of the Dogwood
athlete, humanitarian, cancer research activist
1980 Lou Marsh Trophy Athlete of the Year
Person of National Historic Significance
Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
B: 28 July 1958 in Winnipeg, MB
D. 28 June 1981 in New Westminster, BC
#TerryFox #MarathonOfHope #Osteosarcoma
☆☆☆☆☆
Osteogenic Sarcoma or Osteosarcoma
Osteosarcoma is a disease that is highly heterogeneous, meaning that no two tumours are alike. Even within one tumour, each cell can be genetically different from the others. [4]
“The overall outcome for osteosarcoma has not changed for decades, and tragically, it often proves fatal when the disease spreads to the lungs,” says Dr. Poul Sorensen*, a professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at UBC and co-principal investigator on a new project, which recently received a US$3.1M research grant from Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. [4], [6]
Dr. Poul Sorensen,* [5]
athlete, humanitarian, cancer research activist
1980 Lou Marsh Trophy Athlete of the Year
Person of National Historic Significance
Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
B: 28 July 1958 in Winnipeg, MB
D. 28 June 1981 in New Westminster, BC
#TerryFox #MarathonOfHope #Osteosarcoma
☆☆☆☆☆
Osteogenic Sarcoma or Osteosarcoma
Osteosarcoma is a disease that is highly heterogeneous, meaning that no two tumours are alike. Even within one tumour, each cell can be genetically different from the others. [4]
“The overall outcome for osteosarcoma has not changed for decades, and tragically, it often proves fatal when the disease spreads to the lungs,” says Dr. Poul Sorensen*, a professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at UBC and co-principal investigator on a new project, which recently received a US$3.1M research grant from Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. [4], [6]
Dr. Poul Sorensen,* [5]
MD, PhD, FRCPC
Professor, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, UBC
Johal Chair in Childhood Cancer Research
Director of UBC’s Academy of Translational Medicine
Distinguished scientist at BC Cancer
☆☆☆☆☆
IMAGES
Marathon of hope Press conference in Thunder bay...before [Terry] was taken to the airport by ambulance
PHOTO: Cooper, David
DATE: 9/2/1980
SOURCE: Toronto Star Photograph Archives
CAT: TSPA_0048078F
Courtesy of Toronto Public Library
Terry Fox, Marathon of Hope
PHOTO: Spremo, Boris
DATE: 3/27/1981
SOURCE: Toronto Star Photograph Archives
CAT: TSPA_0048089F
Courtesy of Toronto Public Library
Terry Fox (hands on hips)
Courtesy Terry Fox Foundation
Terry Fox (colour, running)
PHOTO: Ed Linkowich
Courtesy Terry Fox Foundation
Terry Fox with Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau
DATE: July 2, 1980
SOURCE: The Canadian Press
CAT: 789789
CAPTION: Terry demonstrates how his prosthetic leg works
SOURCES:
[1] deBruin, Tabitha Terry Fox, Canadian Encyclopedia May 26, 2008
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/terry-fox
[2] Haas, Tania "Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope", Running Magazine
September 17, 2017
https://runningmagazine.ca/special-feature/terry-fox-marathon-of-hope/
[3] "The Terry Fox Run", Terry Fox Foundation
https://terryfox.org/terry-fox-run/
[4] https://www.med.ubc.ca/news/ubc-researchers-part-of-international-collaboration-to-develop-treatments-for-osteosarcoma/
[5] https://pathology.ubc.ca/faculty/poul-sorensen/
[6] https://www.alexslemonade.org/
Professor, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, UBC
Johal Chair in Childhood Cancer Research
Director of UBC’s Academy of Translational Medicine
Distinguished scientist at BC Cancer
☆☆☆☆☆
IMAGES
Marathon of hope Press conference in Thunder bay...before [Terry] was taken to the airport by ambulance
PHOTO: Cooper, David
DATE: 9/2/1980
SOURCE: Toronto Star Photograph Archives
CAT: TSPA_0048078F
Courtesy of Toronto Public Library
Terry Fox, Marathon of Hope
PHOTO: Spremo, Boris
DATE: 3/27/1981
SOURCE: Toronto Star Photograph Archives
CAT: TSPA_0048089F
Courtesy of Toronto Public Library
Terry Fox (hands on hips)
Courtesy Terry Fox Foundation
Terry Fox (colour, running)
PHOTO: Ed Linkowich
Courtesy Terry Fox Foundation
Terry Fox with Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau
DATE: July 2, 1980
SOURCE: The Canadian Press
CAT: 789789
CAPTION: Terry demonstrates how his prosthetic leg works
SOURCES:
[1] deBruin, Tabitha Terry Fox, Canadian Encyclopedia May 26, 2008
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/terry-fox
[2] Haas, Tania "Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope", Running Magazine
September 17, 2017
https://runningmagazine.ca/special-feature/terry-fox-marathon-of-hope/
[3] "The Terry Fox Run", Terry Fox Foundation
https://terryfox.org/terry-fox-run/
[4] https://www.med.ubc.ca/news/ubc-researchers-part-of-international-collaboration-to-develop-treatments-for-osteosarcoma/
[5] https://pathology.ubc.ca/faculty/poul-sorensen/
[6] https://www.alexslemonade.org/
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