Terrance Stanley Fox (1958 - 1981)

Born 28 Jul 1958 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Ancestors

Died 28 Jun 1981 at age 22 in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada

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Biography

Terry Fox is/was a significant British Columbian.

Terry Fox was born in Manitoba, Canada.

Terry Fox is Notable.

Terry Fox was a Canadian athlete, humanitarian, and cancer research activist. He attempted to run across Canada to raise awareness and money for cancer research, one of his legs having been amputated due to cancer. He started in St. John's, Newfoundland, and made it to just outside Thunder Bay, Ontario. He was forced to stop there on September 1, 1980, because the cancer had spread to his lungs.

Terrance "Terry" Stanley Fox was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada on July 28, 1958.^[1] He was the son of Rolland "Rolly" Murray Fox and Betty Wark.^[1]

His family moved to Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, where Terry was active in school sports, baseball, basketball, soccer, cross country running and rugby. He and his best friend, Doug Alward, were jointly named Port Coquitlam High School's Athlete of the Year in Grade 12.^[2]

It was while he was at college at Simon Fraser University, that Terry began to feel pain in his knee. At first he thought it was due to an auto accident and then later to the stress of playing basketball. In March 1977, he was diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma, a type of bone cancer that often starts in the knee. This type of cancer spreads quickly, and Terry's best chance of survival was amputation of his right leg and then chemotherapy.^[2]

Not a person to lie down and give up, Terry was walking, using a prosthesis, within weeks of his surgery, and within a month he was playing golf with his father. As he endured the hardships of chemotherapy he was invited to play with the Vancouver Cable Cars a wheelchair basketball team. While Terry was on the team they won three championships.^[2]

Terry had another goal. Just before his operation he read an article about Dick Traum, an amputee who had run the New York City Marathon. Inspired, he decided to run across Canada, to raise awareness and funds for cancer research. He began training slowly, as any marathon runner has to do. He acquired strength and skill along with his determination and solicited support from organizations and companies.^[2]

"Fox began his cross-country Marathon of Hope on 12 April 1980, dipping his artificial leg in the Atlantic Ocean near St. John’s, Newfoundland. It was a cold, wet start to his epic journey." ^[2]

His run ended four and a half months later, on 1 September, 1980, just outside Thunder Bay, Ontario. His cancer had invaded his lungs. He planned to finish his run, but was prevented from doing so due to his failing health.^[2]

He died at the Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster, British Columbia, on June 28, 1981.^[1] He was buried July 2nd at Port Coquitlam Municipal Cemetery on Oxford Street in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia.^[1] He is mentioned on a memorial in Port Coquitlam Municipal Cemetery, Port Coquitlam, Greater Vancouver Regional District, British Columbia, Canada.^[3]

Fox’s Marathon of Hope, covering 5,373 km, in 143 days, inspired people around the world. His goal to raise one dollar for every Canadian was met on February 1, 1981, and today fundraising continues in his name. The Terry Fox Foundation organizes an annual Terry Fox Run, which has raised many millions of dollars for cancer research. His accomplishment also prompted researchers to develop better prostheses for amputees.^[2]

Honours and Awards

• Companion, Order of Canada (1980)^[2]
• Member, Order of British Columbia (1980)^[2]
• Lou Marsh Trophy (1980)^[2]
• Canadian Newsmaker of the Year, Canadian Press (1980, 1981)^[2]
• Canada's Sports Hall of Fame(1981)^[2]
• Person of National Historic Significance, Government of Canada (2009)

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} "British Columbia Death Registrations, 1872-1986; 1992-1993", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FL18-KSH : accessed 12 January 2016), Terrance Stanley Fox, 1981.
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11} Canada Historica Marshall, Tabitha. "Terry Fox." 2008.
3. ↑ Memorial: Find a Grave (has image)
   Find A Grave: Memorial #6394 (accessed 12 December 2022)
   Memorial page for Terry Fox Famous memorial (28 Jul 1958-28 Jun 1981), citing Port Coquitlam Municipal Cemetery, Port Coquitlam, Greater Vancouver Regional District, British Columbia, Canada (plot: L124 P4); Maintained by Find a Grave.

• Wikipedia: Terry Fox
• Wikidata: Item Q295053, en:Wikipedia
• Canadian Encyclopedia: Terry Fox
• Canadian Heritage Minute
• “The Terry Fox Story”.
• Ethnicity of Celebs: Terry Fox
• Canada's Walk of Fame