In 1980, Terry Fox, who had lost a leg to cancer, began a coast-to-coast journey across Canada to raise money for cancer research. His "Marathon of Hope" ended with his collapse just outside of Thunder Bay, Ontario. He died less than a year later. The memory of his courage leads 500,000 Canadians each year to participate in the Terry Fox Run held to carry on Terry's quest for a cure for cancer.

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Did You Know?

• Terry Fox began his "Marathon of Hope" in St. John's, Newfoundland in April 12, 1980 and ended it on September 1, 1980 in Thunder Bay, Ontario. During that period, he ran over 5300 kilometres at a pace of nearly 40 kilometres a day.
• Although Terry Fox did not make it across Canada, he did raise nearly $25 million dollars for cancer research, an equivalent of almost $1 for each Canadian.
• The Terry Fox Run has inspired similar runs in dozens of countries, including the Republic of China.

A Canadian Hero

Despite the loss of a leg to cancer, Terry Fox was determined to make a difference -- and he did. His brave effort, overcoming pain and exhaustion, to raise funds for cancer research set an example which lives on in the memories of Canadians. He is commemorated by this statue in the Capital, as well as in many other ways: public buildings carry his name, a postage stamp bears his image and there is even a mountain in British Columbia called Terry Fox.

Designed by John Hooper, the statue shows Terry Fox running, just the way Canadians remember him, night after night, on their television newscasts.

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