Terry Fox
Canadian athlete and cancer research activist who ran the Marathon of Hope.
On November 12, 1976, while driving home, Fox was distracted by bridge construction and crashed into the back of a pickup truck.[1] Fox started his run on April 12, 1980, by placing his right leg into the Atlantic Ocean near St. John's, Newfoundland.[2] After 143 days and 5373 km, he had to stop because his cancer returned and had spread to his lungs.[3] Fox died on June 28, 1981, at the Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster.[4][5]
Quick Facts
- Born
- 28 July 1958
- Birthplace
- Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Birth name
- Terrance Stanley Fox
- Died
- 28 June 1981
- Place of death
- New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
- Cause of death
- Osteosarcoma
- Known for
- Marathon of Hope
- Education
- Simon Fraser University
Facts from the source article.
What the cited sources add
A 2026 news release from the Terry Fox Foundation announced that they have surpassed $1 billion raised for life-saving cancer research.[6] The release quotes Kirsten Fox, Terry's eldest niece, expressing gratitude to millions of Canadians who continue to support her uncle's dream.[6] The documentary "Into the Wind," directed by Steve Nash and Ezra Holland, covers Fox's attempt to run across Canada for cancer research fundraising.[7] The Terry Fox Research Institute, founded in 2007, funds collaborative cancer research teams and links more than 202 cancer hospitals and research centres across the country.[6]
The CTV Television Network produced the film "Terry" in 2005, which focused on the Marathon of Hope.[8]
References
- Wikipedia, "Terry Fox" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Scrivener, 2000, p. 25.; "The Greatest Canadian: Terry Fox", CBC; Scrivener, 2000, p. 27. (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Terry Fox" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Terry Fox's legacy of hope", CBC, June 27, 2006; Murphy, 2005, p. 33. (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Terry Fox" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Terry Fox's legacy of hope", CBC News Online, June 27, 2006, p. 1; "The Greatest Canadian: Terry Fox", CBC (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Terry Fox" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Fox's condition worsens", Daytona Beach Morning Journal, June 23, 1981, p. 8B (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Terry Fox" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Terry Fox dies", Ottawa Citizen, June 29, 1981, p. 1; "Terry Fox dies", CBC Archives; "Fox succumbs to cancer", St. Petersburg Evening Independent, June 29, 1981, p. 2C (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- "Terry Fox Foundation surpasses $1 billion funds raised to support life-saving cancer research", newswire.ca, February 4, 2026. facts only, no text reused. newswire.ca
- "Into the Wind", ESPN. facts only, no text reused. espn.com
- Wikipedia, "Terry Fox" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: McKay, "Terry Fox: A hero's story", Maclean's Magazine, September 9, 2005; "Nash to make film about Terry Fox", Vancouver Sun, July 12, 2008; "Into the Wind", ESPN (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Terry Fox (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
More in Rulers & Leaders
Elsewhere in Historical Figures
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced
