Communities across Canada are preparing to lace up their sneakers this Sunday to honour Terry Fox, the young man whose determination turned a personal battle with cancer into a national movement. The 45th annual Terry Fox Run will bring together Canadians from coast to coast, united by a mission to fund cancer research and celebrate the enduring spirit of a national hero.
Terry Fox was just 18 when he was diagnosed with cancer and lost his right leg to the disease. Rather than letting this stop him, he set out to change the world. On April 12, 1980, he dipped his prosthetic leg in the Atlantic Ocean and began the Marathon of Hope, running roughly 40 kilometres a day with his distinctive hop-run stride. Canadians rallied behind him in unprecedented numbers, lining streets and cheering him on as he made his way westward. After covering 5,373 kilometres, he was forced to stop when cancer spread to his lungs. Terry passed away on June 28, 1981, but not before achieving his dream of raising $1 for every Canadian—a goal that laid the foundation for a fundraising tradition that continues to this day.
This year, eight Terry Fox Runs will take place in Durham Region alone, with nearly $200,000 pledged across Clarington, Whitby, Ajax, Oshawa, Pickering, Uxbridge, Port Perry, Sunderland, and Beaverton. Nationally, some of the biggest fundraising totals are coming from the Confederation Bridge run ($456,549), Toronto’s Wilket Creek ($349,967), and Calgary ($288,895). Since Terry’s passing, Canadians have raised nearly $1 billion in his name, making the Marathon of Hope one of the most successful grassroots fundraising efforts in the world.
Terry Fox’s place in Canadian history is so revered that he will soon be featured on the new $5 polymer bank note, set to be released after 2027. The note will carry his portrait as a symbol of courage, determination, and the power of one individual to inspire a nation.