Terrance Stanley Fox Biography

" I'm not a dreamer but I believe in miracles. I have to" (Terry Fox). Terrance Stanley Fox left the world leaving behind a phenomenal mark in Canadian history that will never be forgotten. Fox was a Canadian athlete, humanitarian, and a cancer research activist. One year before the death of Terry, on April 12,1980, the Marathon of Hope was set up, a cross country run used to raise money for cancer research. The Marathon of Hope is the most famous run on Canadian soil. The simple objective was able to advise many Canadians of the importance to seek a cure for cancer. With Terry's courage and determination, he ran forty-two kilometers daily for 143 days straight. This totaled to a result of 5,373 kilometers. Every day he ran an equivalent number

He was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba on July 28,1958. Terry's parents were Betty Fox and Rolly Fox and his siblings consisted of Darrell, Fred and Judith. In his early teens, Terry had a passion for many sports including soccer, rugby, baseball, and basketball. However, he was not as tall and bulky as the others and therefore, he had to work harder than everyone else to fully participate in the sports he admired. Fox was a competitive and fierce youth as described from many relatives and close friends. Not only that, but he would also achieve what he wanted and at the same time, love every minute of it. Aside from being a remarkable person, Terry also had a great sense of humor and was even known as the jokester of his family. After high school, he attended Simon Fraser University where he studied kinesiology thinking he would become a physical education teacher. This was before Terry made a significant difference in the world and became one of the most inspirational people in

On November 12,1976, Terry was driving back home when he became distracted and accidentally rear-ended into a half-ton truck. He got a minor injury of a sore right knee due to this accident. The soreness continued to occur for the next month however, Terry paid little attention to it. When February came, the soreness continued to bother Terry. The condition got progressively worse as time passed. After a run in early March, the pain in his leg was immobilizing. On March 3,1977, Terry was sent for an x-ray where they suspected that he had a cancer called osteosarcoma. The doctors say that this happens when the body is growing more rapidly during a growth spurt. On May 4, the condition was confirmed. Not long after, his right leg was amputated six inches above the knee. After, Terry was required to go to Vancouver to receive chemotherapy sessions every three weeks for sixteen months. The doctors during this time said that his specific cancer treatment was very new, and the survival rate was between twenty and fifty percent. At this moment, Terry came to the realization of how important cancer research really is. During his hospital stays, he was able to discover and understand that miracles are fine, but cancer research is what will change the world and save many