The Terry Fox story.

I was really touched by this story.  At first I thought to myself, how could I write about something that occurred some 30+ years ago that would still inspire others today?  In that moment, not only was I was pleasantly surprised by the momentum that the Terry Fox story has gained over the years, but I was also very encouraged by the indelible mark he has left on so many people.

Terry, of British Columbia, Canada in my view, epitomizes the indomitable human spirit!  On the day of April 12, 1980 Terry began a quest that became known as his "Marathon of Hope" in the fight against cancer. You'll say, okay a marathon - what's the big deal? People run marathons just about every day.  Just so you know, over a year before this date, one of Terry's legs had to be amputated because of bone cancer.  So yes, people do run marathons just about every day, but in Terry's case he wanted to run a marathon (26 miles) every single day and he wanted do it with an artificial leg. Unbelievable!

Starting at St. John's Harbor, Newfoundland, Canada his initial intention was to raise $1 million as he ran across Canada (3,426 miles) but it quickly became a dream to raise a dollar for every Canadian. (A population of about 24 million at that time).

Though Terry was forced to end his "Marathon of Hope" on September 1st in Thunder Bay, Ontario, by this date he had run 3,339 miles in 143 days!  He had raised over $5 million and by the next year, he was alive to see his $24 million mark realized.  His story was so inspiring that a movie, produced by HBO (The Terry Fox Story) on his gallant efforts is available in full on YouTube.

Sadly Terry did not financially benefit from his own efforts and lost his battle to cancer on June 28, 1981.  A Foundation was set up in his name to ensure that his dream lives on.  To date, the Terry Fox Foundation has raised over $650 million worldwide for cancer research. One person can truly make a difference!