79 Facts About Terry Fox

1.

Terrance Stanley Fox was a Canadian athlete, humanitarian, and cancer research activist.

2.

The annual Terry Fox Run, first held in 1981, has grown to involve millions of participants in over 60 countries and is the world's largest one-day fundraiser for cancer research; over C$850 million has been raised in his name as of September 2022.

3.

Terry Fox was a distance runner and basketball player for his Port Coquitlam high school, now named after him, and Simon Fraser University.

4.

Terry Fox played wheelchair basketball in Vancouver, winning three national championships.

5.

Terry Fox had become a national star by the time he reached Ontario; he made numerous public appearances with businessmen, athletes, and politicians in his efforts to raise money.

6.

Terry Fox was forced to end his run outside Thunder Bay when the cancer spread to his lungs.

7.

Terry Fox was the youngest person named a Companion of the Order of Canada and won the 1980 Lou Marsh Award as the nation's top sportsman.

8.

Terry Fox was named Canada's Newsmaker of the Year in both 1980 and 1981 by The Canadian Press.

9.

Terry Fox was born on July 28,1958, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, to Rolland and Betty Fox.

10.

Terry Fox had an elder brother, Fred, a younger brother, Darrell, and a younger sister, Judith.

11.

Terry Fox's family moved to Surrey, British Columbia, in 1966, then settled in Port Coquitlam in 1968.

12.

Terry Fox's parents were dedicated to their family, and his mother was especially protective of her children; it was through her that Fox developed his stubborn dedication to whatever task he committed to do.

13.

Terry Fox's father recalled that Fox was extremely competitive, noting that he hated to lose so much that he would continue at any activity until he succeeded.

14.

Terry Fox attempted to join his school's basketball team, though struggled because of his height.

15.

Terry Fox's coach suggested that Fox try cross-country running, which Fox did as he wanted to impress his coach.

16.

Terry Fox continued to improve on his basketball skills, and in grade 12 he won his high school's athlete of the year award.

17.

Terry Fox was unsure whether he wanted to go to university, but Terry Fox's mother convinced him to enrol at Simon Fraser University.

18.

Terry Fox studied kinesiology with the intention of becoming a physical education teacher.

19.

Terry Fox was a member of the junior varsity basketball team.

20.

On November 12,1976, Terry Fox was driving to the family home in Port Coquitlam when he was distracted by nearby bridge construction and crashed into the back of a pickup truck.

21.

Terry Fox believed his car accident weakened his knee and left it vulnerable to the disease, though his doctors argued there was no connection.

22.

Terry Fox was told that his leg had to be amputated, he would require chemotherapy treatment, and that recent medical advances meant he had a 50-percent chance of survival.

23.

Terry Fox learned that two years before, the figure would have been only 15 percent; the improvement in survival rates impressed on him the value of cancer research.

24.

Less than two months after learning how to play the sport, Terry Fox was named a member of the team for the national championship in Edmonton.

25.

Terry Fox won three national titles with the team, and was named an all-star by the North American Wheelchair Basketball Association in 1980.

26.

Terry Fox intended to run the length of Canada in the hope of increasing cancer awareness, a goal he initially divulged only to his friend Douglas Alward.

27.

Terry Fox ran with an unusual gait, as he was required to hop-step on his good leg due to the extra time the springs in his artificial leg required to reset after each step.

28.

Terry Fox found the training painful as the additional pressure he had to place on both his good leg and his stump led to bone bruises, blisters and intense pain.

29.

On September 2,1979, Terry Fox competed in a 17-mile road race in Prince George.

30.

Terry Fox finished in last place, ten minutes behind his closest competitor, but his effort was met with tears and applause from the other participants.

31.

Terry Fox's mother discouraged him, angering Fox, though she later came to support the project.

32.

On October 15,1979, Terry Fox sent a letter to the Canadian Cancer Society in which he announced his goal and appealed for funding.

33.

Terry Fox stated that he would "conquer" his disability, and promised to complete his run, even if he had to "crawl every last mile".

34.

Terry Fox sent other letters asking for grants to buy a running leg.

35.

Terry Fox turned away any company that requested he endorse their products and refused any donation that carried conditions, as he insisted that nobody was to profit from his run.

36.

The Marathon began on April 12,1980, when Terry Fox dipped his right leg in the Atlantic Ocean near St John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, and filled two large bottles with ocean water.

37.

Terry Fox intended to keep one as a souvenir and pour the other into the Pacific Ocean upon completing his journey at Victoria, British Columbia.

38.

Terry Fox was supported on his run by Doug Alward, who drove the van and cooked meals.

39.

Terry Fox was met with gale-force winds, heavy rain, and a snowstorm in the first days of his run.

40.

Terry Fox was initially disappointed with the reception he received but was heartened upon arriving in Channel-Port aux Basques, Newfoundland and Labrador, where the town's 10,000 residents presented him with a donation of over $10,000.

41.

When Terry Fox was discouraged because so few people were making donations, Sharp pledged $2 a mile and persuaded close to 1,000 other corporations to do the same.

42.

Terry Fox was convinced by the Canadian Cancer Society that arriving in Ottawa for Canada Day would aid fundraising efforts, so he remained in Montreal for a few extra days.

43.

On his arrival in Ottawa, Terry Fox met Governor General Ed Schreyer, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, and was the guest of honour at numerous sporting events in the city.

44.

Terry Fox's journal reflected his growing excitement at the reception he had received.

45.

Terry Fox attempted to accommodate any request that he believed would raise money, no matter how far out of his way it took him.

46.

Terry Fox bristled at what he felt were media intrusions into his personal life, for example when the Toronto Star reported that he had gone on a date.

47.

Terry Fox was left unsure whom he could trust in the media after negative articles began to emerge, including one by The Globe and Mail that highlighted tensions with his brother Darrell and claimed he was running because he held a grudge against a doctor who had misdiagnosed his condition, allegations he referred to as "trash".

48.

Terry Fox frequently had shin splints and an inflamed knee.

49.

Terry Fox developed cysts on his stump and experienced dizzy spells.

50.

Terry Fox rejected calls for him to seek regular medical checkups, and dismissed suggestions he was risking his future health.

51.

Terry Fox resumed running as the crowds along the highway shouted out their encouragement.

52.

The next day, Terry Fox held a tearful press conference during which he announced that his cancer had returned and spread to his lungs.

53.

Terry Fox was forced to end his run after 143 days and 5,373 kilometres.

54.

Terry Fox refused offers to complete the run in his stead, stating that he wanted to complete his marathon himself.

55.

Such was his fame that one letter addressed simply to "Terry Fox, Canada" was successfully delivered.

56.

In September 1980, Terry Fox was invested in a special ceremony as a Companion of the Order of Canada; he was the youngest person to be so honoured.

57.

Canada's Sports Hall of Fame commissioned a permanent exhibit, and Terry Fox was named the winner of the Lou Marsh Award for 1980 as the nation's top athlete.

58.

Terry Fox was named Canada's 1980 Newsmaker of the Year.

59.

Terry Fox had an adverse reaction to his first treatment, but continued the program after a period of rest.

60.

Terry Fox was re-admitted to the Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster on June 19,1981, with chest congestion and developed pneumonia.

61.

Terry Fox's determination united the nation; people from all walks of life lent their support to his run and his memory inspires pride in all regions of the country.

62.

Terry Fox highlighted the juxtaposition between his celebrity, brought about by the unforgettable image he created, and his rejection of the trappings of that celebrity.

63.

Typically amongst Canadian icons, Terry Fox is an unconventional hero, admired but not without flaws.

64.

Terry Fox refused to regard himself as disabled, and would not allow anyone to pity him, telling a Toronto radio station that he found life more "rewarding and challenging" since he had lost his leg.

65.

Terry Fox's feat helped redefine Canadian views of disability and the inclusion of disabled people in society.

66.

Terry Fox's actions increased the visibility of people with disabilities, and influenced the attitudes of those with disabilities by showing disability portrayed in a positive light.

67.

The narrative surrounding Terry Fox has been critiqued as illustrating the media's focus on stereotyped portrayals of the heroic and extraordinary achievements of people with disabilities, rather than more mundane accomplishments.

68.

Sharp persisted, and he, the Four Seasons Hotels and the Fox family organized the first Terry Fox Run on September 13,1981.

69.

Shortly after his death, Terry Fox was named the Newsmaker of the Year for 1981, and Canada Post announced the production of a commemorative stamp in 1981, bypassing its traditionally held position that stamps honouring people should not be created until ten years after their deaths.

70.

In 2012, Terry Fox was inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame in the Builder category in recognition of his public service in the name of research fundraising.

71.

In 2008, Terry Fox was named a National Historic Person of Canada, a recognition given by the Canadian government to those persons who are considered to have played a nationally significant role in the history of the country.

72.

Terry Fox's designation was due to his status as an "enduring icon", his personal qualities, and for the manner in which the Marathon of Hope had captivated the country and resonated deeply with Canadians.

73.

The games saw the Terry Fox Award bestowed on Olympic athletes who embodied Fox's characteristics of determination and humility in the face of adversity.

74.

The Terry Fox Story was nominated for eight Genie Awards, and won five, including Best Picture and Best Actor.

75.

Terry Fox is not an amputee; digital editing was used to superimpose a prosthesis over his real leg.

76.

Canadian National Basketball Association star Steve Nash, who himself was inspired by Terry Fox when he was a child, directed a 2010 documentary Into the Wind, which aired on ESPN as part of its 30 for 30 series.

77.

Terry Fox was not the first person to attempt to run across Canada.

78.

Steve Fonyo, an 18-year-old with the same form of cancer and who had a leg amputated, sought in 1984 to duplicate Terry Fox's run, calling his effort the "Journey for Lives".

79.

Terry Fox is one of eight candidate finalists for having his portrait on the future $5 polymer banknotes in Canada.