Thread: Terry Fox Run - Who's participating

Anyone participating in the Terry Fox Run?

Terry Fox

Terry Fox was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, but he was raised in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia. When he was a teen, Terry Fox was very much involved in various sports, but at the age of 18, he was diagnosed with bone cancer, and had to have his right leg amputated above the knee.
Right before the operation, Terry read about an amputee who had completed the New York Marathon. He was moved by the man's courage and determination, and this story ended up being one of the main motivations behind Terry's ambitious Marathon of Hope.

In 1980, terry announced that he would make a cross-Canada run on his prosthetic leg in order to raise funds and awareness for cancer research in Canada. Of course, things weren't so easy at the beginning of his run, but as more and more people found out about Terry's efforts through the media, the money and support began to accumulate.

Terry never finished his run, stopping near Thunder Bay, Ontario after having run 5373 kilometers over 143 days worn out and in need of medical attention as his cancer reappeared in his lungs. Terry passed away on June 28, 1981, he was 22.

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In 1977 after feeling pain in his right knee, he was diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma cancer. At the time the only way to treat his condition was to amputate the leg.

Three years after losing his right leg at age 20, the young athlete decided to run from coast to coast in order to raise money for cancer research. In creating the Marathon of Hope, his goal was to raise $1.00 from every Canadian citizen.

Beginning by dipping his leg in the Atlantic Ocean at St. John's, Newfoundland on April 12, 1980, he aimed to dip it again in the Pacific ocean at Vancouver, British Columbia. His pace was daunting.

He ran an average of 42 km/26.2 miles a day — the distance of a typical marathon. No one had ever done anything similar to the task Fox was undertaking.

He could not finish his run, however, as the cancer spread to his lungs and he was forced to abandon the course on September 1, 1980 just north-east of Thunder Bay, Ontario after 143 days, running 5,373 km (3,339 miles) through Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Quebec, and Ontario.


Entire: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Fox