Fox, Terry National Historic Person
Multiple plaque locations
Address :
Multiple plaque locations
Recognition Statute:
Historic Sites and Monuments Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. H-4)
Designation Date:
2008-04-11
Life Date:
1958 to 1981
Other Name(s):
-
Fox, Terry
(Designation Name)
-
Terrance Stanley "Terry" Fox
(Other Name)
Research Report Number:
2007-001
Importance:
An enduring icon, the qualities of both the man and his "Marathon of Hope" captivatied the country and resonated deeply with Canadians
Plaque(s)
Existing plaque: 2580 Shaughnessy Street, near City Hall, Port Coquitlam, British Columbia
Existing plaque: Terry Fox Scenic Lookout, Highway 11/17, 7.5 km east of its intersection with Highway 102, Thunder Bay, Ontario
Existing plaque: Terry Fox Monument at Mile 0, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
While in remission from cancer, Terry Fox set out to run across Canada in 1980 to raise money for cancer research. Despite having lost his right leg to the disease, this determined Port Coquitlam athlete ran 5,373 kilometres nearly a marathon a day for 143 straight days before being forced to stop when his cancer returned. His "Marathon of Hope" captivated Canadians with its bold humanitarianism, transformed our vocabulary about personal courage, and revolutionized fund-raising. To date, hundreds of millions of dollars have been raised by Fox and in his name to the benefit of cancer sufferers around the world. The heroic nature and tragic interruption of his run have made Terry Fox an enduring Canadian icon.