Terry Fox

Terrance Stanley "Terry" Fox (July 28, 1958 - June 28, 1981) was a Canadian athlete, cancer victim & activist. His name is one of the most recognizable in the country.

Terry Fox was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. After losing his leg to cancer, the young athlete decided to run from coast to coast in order to raise money for cancer research. Beginning by dipping his artificial leg in the Atlantic Ocean at St. John's, Newfoundland, he aimed to dip it again in the Pacific Ocean at Vancouver, British Columbia.

He would not finish his run, however, as the cancer spread to his lungs and he abandoned the course near Marathon, Ontario, near Thunder Bay. He died soon afterwards. However, his Marathon of Hope captured the nation's attention who proclaimed him a national hero, and it and the annual Terry Fox Run events organized all across Canada, in the United States, and in other countries around the world, have raised more than $300-million for cancer research.

Terry Fox's heroism has inspired other Canadians to similar feats in the name of charitable causes. This has included Steve Fonyo, another runner who also had a leg amputated due to cancer and who retraced the same route of Terry Fox and then proceeded to complete the run to the west coast in the name of cancer research. A close friend of Fox, Rick Hansen, a paraplegic athlete, was also inspired by Terry to make his own trek around the world in his wheelchair to raise funds for spinal injury research.

In a public opinion poll Terry Fox was voted the most famous Canadian of the 20th Century.

Honours For Terry Fox

• Companion of the Order of Canada

September 18, 1980 – Terry Fox was made the youngest Companion of the Order of Canada in history for his outstanding contribution to the cause of cancer research.

• Order of the Dogwood

October 21, 1980 – The Province of British Columbia’s highest civilian.

• The Sword of Hope - United States of America

November 22, 1980 – The American Cancer Society awarded Terry Fox their highest honour.

• The Lou Marsh Award

December 18, 1980 – Sports editors from across Canada voted Terry Fox their annual award for his outstanding athletic accomplishment.

• Canadian of the Year

December 23, 1980 – The editors of Canadian Press member newspapers and the radio and television stations serviced by Broadcast News voted Terry Fox, Canadian of the Year.

• Terry Fox Gold Medal

June 6, 1981 – Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia issued a new medal in his honour to be awarded annually to a student showing courage in the face of adversity.

• Mount Terry Fox

July 17, 1981 – The government of British Columbia named a 2,639-metre (8,658 foot) peak in the Rocky Mountains after him.

• Terry Fox Courage Highway

July 30, 1981 – The 83-kilometre (52 mile) section of the Trans-Canada Highway in Ontario where Terry Fox was forced to end his run, was re-named in his honour.

• Terry Fox Humanitarian Award

July 30, 1981 – The Canadian government created a $5 million endowment fund to provide annual scholarships to students who demonstrate the highest ideals and qualities of citizenship and humanitarian service while in pursuit of excellence in academic, sport, and community service endeavours.

• Canadian Sports Hall of Fame

August 29, 1981 – Terry Fox was posthumously inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame.

• Terry Fox Stamp

April 13, 1982 – A Terry Fox Stamp was issued by Canada Post who broke with tradition that no commemorative stamp be issued until 10 years after the death of the honouree. On January 17, 2000, Terry Fox was honoured a second time on a Canadian postage stamp as part of the prestigious "Millennium Collection" recognizing influential and distinguished Canadians of the 20th Century.

• Thunder Bay Monument

June 26, 1982 – A 2.7-metre (9 foot) bronze statue of Terry Fox was unveiled on the section of the Trans-Canada highway named for him.

• Canada's Greatest Hero

June 30, 1999 – Terry Fox was voted Canada's Greatest Hero in a national survey conducted by the Dominion Institute and the Council for Canadian Unity.

External link

http://www.terryfoxrun.org/english/home/default.asp?s=1