Marathon of Hope
The "Marathon of Hope" was a significant fundraising initiative led by Terry Fox, a Canadian athlete who sought to raise awareness and funds for cancer research after being diagnosed with bone cancer in 1977. Following the amputation of his right leg, Fox embarked on a solo run across Canada on April 12, 1980, aiming to cover approximately 5,300 miles. His original goal was to raise $1 million, but the overwhelming support he received prompted him to increase his target to $25 million, reflecting the number of Canadians at the time.
Fox ran an average of over twenty-three miles each day, stopping in various communities to inspire spectators and collect donations. However, after 143 days, he was forced to halt his journey due to the return of his cancer, which eventually claimed his life on June 28, 1981. Despite his passing, Fox's efforts raised more than $24 million, and the ongoing work of the Terry Fox Foundation has led to significant advancements in cancer research. The annual "Terry Fox Runs" continue to honor his legacy, promoting community involvement and raising additional funds for cancer research, making Fox a legendary figure in Canadian history and a role model for many.
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Marathon of Hope
The Event Canadian Terry Fox runs more than 2,300 miles in 143 days to raise money for cancer research
Date April 12-September 1, 1980
Place St. John’s, Newfoundland, to Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
Despite falling short of his goal to run across Canada, Terry Fox raised millions of dollars while becoming a national icon and a pioneer of charity running.
A multisport athlete in high school, Terry Fox was diagnosed with bone cancer in 1977. After doctors amputated his right leg above the knee, Fox resolved to accomplish an unprecedented athletic feat, a solo run across Canada, to raise funds for the development of cancer treatments. On April 12, 1980, Fox began his run by dipping his prosthetic leg into the Atlantic Ocean on the Newfoundland coast and embarked on a circuitous route that was to cover approximately 5,300 miles through some of the country’s largest urban areas, accompanied by a small entourage of volunteers who provided support and collected money from donors. His initial goal was to raise $1 million for cancer research, but the early success of the run prompted Fox to amend his fund-raising goal to $25 million—roughly one dollar for each Canadian citizen. As news of the run spread across Canada, Fox was met with increasingly large crowds at the towns and cities along his route.
For the duration of his run, which he dubbed the “Marathon of Hope,” Fox proposed to run the approximate distance of a marathon (42 kilometers, or 26.1 miles) each day, stopping in populated areas to address spectators and collect donations. By the end of August, Fox had averaged more than twenty-three miles a day with very few rest days and was nearly halfway to his destination. However, on September 1, day 143 of his run, Fox began experiencing severe chest pains and was forced to stop running. Tests revealed that Fox’s cancer had returned and spread to his lungs. Fox was hospitalized, succumbing to pneumonia on June 28, 1981.
Impact
In addition to the $24.17 million that Fox raised along his Marathon of Hope route, millions more continued to pour into the coffers of his Terry Fox Foundation following his death. Grants from the foundation to cancer researchers have been cited as critical in the development of several innovations in the detection and treatment of cancers. The foundation continued to grow into the twenty-first century, receiving annual funding from “Terry Fox Runs” conducted in numerous localities across Canada. Charity road races inspired by the Terry Fox Runs would become a staple of the running boom of the 1980’s in the United States and Canada. Terry Fox became a legend in his native Canada, the subject of a plethora of books, films, and documentaries and a role model for cancer patients and survivors.
Bibliography
Coupland, Douglas. Terry: Terry Fox and His Marathon of Hope. Vancouver, B.C.: Douglas & McIntyre, 2005.
Scrivener, Leslie. Terry Fox: His Story. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 2000.