Terry Fox and the Marathon of Hope

An English Reading Article for Intermediate Learners

Introduction

This article is the second in our history series for intermediate English learners. To help you I’ve put some words in bold, with definitions at the end of the article. Each article looks at a key event in the English-speaking world — a moment that helped shape or change a nation. In the first article, we went back 600 years to England to read about Henry VIII and his six wives. This time we take a much smaller step back in time: to 1980s Canada, to read about a man who inspired not just Canadians, but people around the world.

Terry Fox is important to Canadians not only for what he achieved, but for what he represented. Many Canadians see him as a symbol of some of their country's best values: generosity, determination, and modesty.

Terry Fox – Early Life

Terry Fox was born in 1958 in Winnipeg, in central Canada. While he was still a boy, his family moved to Port Coquitlam, a suburb of Vancouver on Canada's west coast. His childhood was fairly normal. He loved sport, and even as a boy he was known for his strong determination. His favourite sports were basketball and running. After finishing school, he enrolled at university, planning to become a PE (Physical Education) teacher. He wasn't the tallest or most naturally gifted player, but his determination helped him make the university basketball team.

His life changed dramatically in 1976, when he was in a minor car accident. Afterwards, he had some pain in his right knee, which he ignored at first. But as the months passed, the pain grew worse, so he went to hospital. There, doctors discovered he had a serious form of cancer in his knee, called osteosarcoma (bone cancer). The news was devastating: doctors needed to amputate his right leg, and even then, his chances of beating the cancer were only 50%. He was just 18 years old.

The night before his operation, he read a magazine article about an amputee runner, and it became his inspiration. He worked hard on his recovery, and just three weeks after the operation, he was able to move around on an artificial leg. He still needed sixteen months of chemotherapy treatment, but again, his determination and positive outlook carried him through. During this time, he was encouraged to take up wheelchair basketball. Just two months later, he was selected for a team that competed at the national championships. His team won — and went on to win two more national titles.

The Marathon of Hope

Fox understood how valuable cancer research was for saving lives that would otherwise be lost. He wanted to raise money and awareness for it. Inspired by the magazine article he had read before his operation, he decided he would run from the east coast to the west coast of Canada — a journey of roughly 8,000 kilometres.

He began training and quickly discovered how painful it was to run on an artificial leg. In September 1979, he entered a 27-kilometre road race and finished last, ten minutes behind everyone else. Still, he kept training, and by April the following year, he was ready to begin his run across Canada — which he called the Marathon of Hope.

Fox began on 12 April 1980, on the east coast of the island of Newfoundland. He filled a bottle with water from the Atlantic Ocean, planning to pour it into the Pacific once he reached British Columbia. The run began badly: heavy rain, snow, and strong winds all slowed his progress. He was disappointed by the lack of public interest, and he had several arguments with his best friend, who was driving alongside him as his support team. But by the time he reached the other side of the island, he received an encouraging boost — his first major donation, a cheque for $10,000 from the Newfoundland town of Channel-Port aux Basques.

By the time he reached Montreal, he had raised $100,000 — although this was far less than he had hoped. He even considered giving up. But a well-known local businessman, Isadore Sharp, founder of the Four Seasons hotel chain, encouraged him to keep going. Sharp had lost his own son to cancer just a couple of years earlier. He pledged to donate $2 for every kilometre Fox ran, and — even more importantly — persuaded another thousand businesses to do the same.

As Fox continued westward, more and more media began reporting on his journey. By the end of June, he had reached Ottawa, Canada's national capital, where thousands of people came out to see him, and he was met by both the Governor General and the Prime Minister. Two weeks later, he arrived in Toronto, where 10,000 people were waiting for him in the city centre. He attended several public events, including football and baseball games, and met a number of leading Canadian sportspeople who offered their support.

By this stage, Fox was running the equivalent of a marathon every single day, and the gruelling pace was taking its toll on his body. He suffered injuries to his knees and shins, constant blisters, and dizzy spells. On 1 September, near Thunder Bay in northwestern Ontario, he began coughing uncontrollably and felt pains in his chest. He tried to keep going for another couple of miles, but the pain got worse, and he realised he needed to go to hospital.

At the hospital, doctors made an unhappy discovery: his cancer had returned, and had now spread to his lungs. Fox had no choice but to end his run. By that point, he had run over 5,300 kilometres and raised $1.7 million.

After the Marathon of Hope

Although Fox's run had ended, the fundraising continued. A Canadian television station organised a telethon, attended by Canadian and international celebrities, including singers Elton John, Anne Murray, and John Denver, comedian John Candy, and actor Lee Majors. The telethon alone raised $10.5 million. Donations kept coming in over the following months, and by the end of the year, Fox's run had raised a total of $23 million.

While continuing his fundraising efforts, Fox was also undergoing treatment for his cancer, but his condition kept getting worse. In June 1981, he was hospitalised with pneumonia. On 28 June — nine months after his Marathon of Hope and a month before his 23rd birthday — Terry Fox died in hospital. The government lowered all flags to half-mast, his funeral was broadcast on national television, and memorials were held across the country.

Terry Fox's Impact and Influence

While in hospital being treated for lung cancer, Fox told Isadore Sharp that he hoped an annual community run could be organised to keep raising money for cancer research. He wanted the run to be non-competitive — taking part would matter more than winning — and he didn't want any companies to profit from it through sponsorship or advertising.

After Fox's death, Sharp helped organise the first event, held in September 1981. Named the Terry Fox Run, it took place in over 750 locations across Canada, with an estimated 300,000 Canadians taking part. It has been held every September ever since.

Canadian schools also hold their own Terry Fox Runs, to raise money and promote exercise. The event has since spread around the world — not only to other English-speaking countries like the United States, Britain, and Australia, and across Western Europe, but also to countries like Syria, Zimbabwe, Oman, Venezuela, Cuba, and Qatar. The largest Terry Fox Run outside Canada was held in Cuba, where two million people took part. In total, Terry Fox Runs have raised more than $1 billion for cancer research.

Terry Fox Runs are held throughout the year. One of the biggest is held in Cuba every year.

Terry Fox received many awards and honours, both during his run and after his death. He was made a Companion of the Order of Canada, the country's highest civilian honour, and was twice named Canadian Newsmaker of the Year (1980 and 1981). Statues of him now stand across Canada, and part of the Trans-Canada Highway was renamed the Terry Fox Courage Highway in his honour. There's even a mountain in the Canadian Rockies named after him — Mount Terry Fox — a lasting tribute to a man regarded as one of Canada's greatest heroes.

Terry Fox is regarded as a national hero in Canada. He represents values that many Canadians see as part of their national character: determination, perseverance, compassion, and generosity. He also won Canadians' hearts through his modesty and selflessness — he had no interest in fame or fortune, and only gave interviews and made public appearances to raise awareness about cancer. It's worth noting that he became a national hero without winning anything — he didn't even complete the run he set out to do. His story suggests that finishing or winning isn't always what matters most; what matters is making the effort to rise above the difficulties in your life.

Terry Fox was the youngest person to receive the Order of Canada. He was only 22 when he was awarded the honour in September 1980

A monument honouring Terry Fox at Thunder Bay, Ontario. It was near Thunder Bay that Fox had to abandon his Marathon of Hope because he was too ill to continue.

Useful Vocabulary

represent – to speak or act for a person, group or country.

modesty – the quality of not talking too proudly about yourself or your achievements.

devastating – causing great shock, sadness or damage.

amputate – to remove a part of the body, usually because of a serious illness or injury.

beat (the) cancer – to successfully recover from cancer or stop it from returning.

artificial – made by people, not natural. An artificial leg is a man-made replacement for a real one (also called a prosthetic leg).

chemotherapy – medical treatment that uses powerful drugs to kill cancer cells.

cheque – a piece of paper used to pay someone from your bank account (also spelt “check” in American English).

give up – to stop trying to do something because it is too difficult.

founder – a person who starts an organisation, company or movement.

chain – a group of shops, businesses or organisations with the same name and owner.

pledge – to promise to give or do something.

gruelling – very difficult and tiring, and lasting a long time.

blister – a small, painful area of skin filled with liquid, often caused by rubbing.

dizzy spell – a short period when you feel as if you are going to fall or the world is spinning.

fundraising – the activity of collecting money for a person, organisation or cause.

telethon – a television programme that asks people to donate money to a particular cause.

pneumonia – a serious infection in the lungs that can make it difficult to breathe.

half-mast – the position of a flag when it is flown lower than usual as a sign of respect or sadness.

hold a memorial – to organise an event to remember someone who has died.

sponsorship – money or support given to a person or organisation, usually in return for publicity.

civilian – a person who is not a member of the military.

lasting tribute – something that continues to show respect for and remember a person for many years.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How far did Terry Fox run during the Marathon of Hope?

Terry Fox ran for 143 days, covering more than 5,300 kilometres — roughly the equivalent of a marathon every day. He started in St. John's, Newfoundland, and ran through the Maritime provinces, Quebec, and Ontario before being forced to stop near Thunder Bay, when his cancer returned.

Why did Terry Fox start the Marathon of Hope?

After losing his leg to bone cancer at 18, Fox wanted to raise money for cancer research so that others wouldn't have to go through what he did. Inspired by a magazine article about another amputee runner, he decided to run across Canada to raise awareness and funds.

Did Terry Fox finish his run across Canada?

No. His cancer returned and spread to his lungs before he could complete the run, forcing him to stop near Thunder Bay, Ontario, on 1 September 1980. Despite not finishing, his run raised millions of dollars and inspired a fundraising movement that continues today.

How much money has the Terry Fox Run raised in total?

The annual Terry Fox Run, held in Canada and around the world since 1981, has raised more than $1 billion for cancer research, making it one of the most successful fundraising events of its kind.

Why is Terry Fox considered a Canadian hero?

Terry Fox is celebrated not just for what he achieved, but for the values he represented: determination, generosity, and modesty. He became a national symbol despite not finishing his run, showing that effort and courage can matter more than success itself.