At 18, Terry Fox was a promising young athlete in Canada. Then came the diagnosis—cancer. His right leg was amputated above the knee. Most would have surrendered to despair. But Terry refused.
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From a hospital bed, he watched other cancer patients, especially children, fighting for life. He decided he would not only fight for himself—he would fight for them. His dream was audacious: to run across Canada, raising money and awareness for cancer research.
With a prosthetic leg that clattered against the pavement, Terry set out in 1980. He called it the “Marathon of Hope.” Each day, he ran a marathon’s distance—26 miles—through wind, rain, and blazing sun. People lined highways to watch. They cheered, cried, and placed donations in his hands. His body ached, his stump bled, but still he pushed forward.
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After 143 days and 3,339 miles, Terry was forced to stop. The cancer had returned, this time in his lungs. On June 28, 1981, at just 22 years old, Terry Fox passed away. But by then, he had already raised millions and inspired millions more.
Today, Terry’s Marathon of Hope continues in annual Terry Fox Runs held around the world, raising over $850 million for cancer research. He never finished his cross-country journey, but in truth, it never ended—because people still run in his name.
