read it u may learn sumthin, and is it good?
Terry Fox
When I think of a great Canadian, one man comes to mind. And that man is terry Fox. He did so much for Canada and the rest of the world. He gave hope to people. He gave his life for what he believed in, so others would have a chance to beat this disease. Terry fox is the greatest Canadian not just because of who he was or what he did but because how he’s reflected in us. He inspired us to be the best we can be. He’s very influencial.
Terrance (Terry) Stanley Fox was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba on July 28th, 1958. He was raised in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, and from a very young age, was very athletic. When he was only 18 years old, Terry was diagnosed with Osteogenic Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, and would have to have his right leg amputated 15 centimeters above the knee.
As a kid, Terry was always enthusiastic about sports, even when he was the worst player on his Grade 8 basketball team. A teacher encouraged him to go out for cross-country running, but he had very little interest. But he kept at it and became the best athlete at his school.
In his final year of secondary school he shared the Athlete of the Year award After that; he went on to study physical education at Simon Fraser University.
Then, in 1977, when a pain in Terry's knee got so bad he could barely stand, he went to the hospital where he was diagnosed as having osteogenic sarcoma, a form of bone cancer. His right leg was amputated six inches above his knee.
Terry’s doctor told him that he had a chance of living but the odds were fifty to seventy percent. The night before he was to have his leg amputated, Terry read about an amputee runner and dreamed about running to raise money for cancer research. During his recovery, Terry developed the idea for the "Marathon of Hope", in which he would run across Canada to raise awareness and money for cancer research. There was no in between Terry’s sixteen month follow up he saw all the young people suffering and getting weak by the disease.
He was one of the lucky one in three people to survive in the cancer clinics. But Terry never forgot his experience in the hospital. He was angry at how little money was spent on cancer research in Canada. He turned his anger into a mission – he would run across the country to raise both awareness and money in his fight against cancer. Terry wrote asking for sponsorship. Later, basketball returned to his life when he was invited to play wheelchair basketball with Rick Hansen. Terry ran 101 days everyday he ran 23 miles a day and only stopped for Christmas. Terry was always determined. One day when his artificial leg broke he hitchhiked home and fixed his leg and ran another 5 miles. That just shows how determined he was.
Terry received his sponsorship for what he called The Marathon of Hope and on April 12 1980 he dipped his artificial leg in the Atlantic ocean of the coast of St. Johns Newfoundland, there he began to run the greatest Adventure of his life.
Terry loved running. “He enjoyed himself so much and that was what other people couldn’t realize. He was doing what he wanted and his dream was coming true and that, above everything else, made it all worthwhile to him. There was pain, but pain didn’t matter because he believed in what he was doing and nothing could stop him.Terry ran about 42 kilometers each day no matter the weather – freezing rain, high winds, even snow. Skeptics thought he'd never make it past New Brunswick but he proved them wrong and Terry Fox became a household name.He ran through Dartmouth, Charlottetown, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and a long list of places in between. When he wasn't on the move, he gave speeches that were often emotional, touching the hearts of many Canadians. The run was not easy, while in Quebec he often found himself in near collision with traffic as the Quebecers tried to run him off the road.
Terry’s begging goal was one million dollars, but he thought why couldn’t everybody just donate one dollar and raise twenty three million dollars. The money started to come from everywhere as Terry ran people would press one hundred dollar bills in to his hands. Through out this time, which Terry ran, he started to neglect his doctor appointments, and said that his cancer would not come back but it did. Doctors in Thunder Bay Confirmed that the cancer had come back hard and hit him in the lungs. “
For ten months Terry’s battle with the disease left him in pain for most of the the rest of his life. Terry died with his family beside him on June 28, 1981. Before Terry’s death he raised $24 million and received the Order of Canada, the Order of Dogwood, the Lou Marsh Trophy and was named Newsmaker of the year by the Canadian Press a feat that most cross Canada runner could only dream of. After his death he was named Canada’s greatest hero in a nationwide survey, he also was voted Athlete of the Decade by The Sports Network and was inducted into the Hall of Fame Posthumously. After his death The Terry Fox Monument was put up in Thunder Bay, Ontario near the place Terry ended his Marathon of Hope.
With over $250 million raised in his name Terry Fox has left his mark all across Canada and all over the world. The amount of research that was done with this money has now increased the survival percentage dramatically and improved the lives of people living with or around the disease. All this was made possible because of the sacrifice and determine of Terry Fox.
His legacy lives on as Terry Fox Runs are held in over 20 nations around the world all which benefit cancer research. From Mexico to Kuwait to New Delhi millions each year come together to run or walk or ride along with the runs, collectively these people represent Terry and all that he stood for.
Terry fox was a great man, he was so selfless and did great things, and I think forever he will be known in Canadian history as the greatest Canadian that has ever lived.
