The Inspiraton of Terry Fox

WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 2010

“I don’t feel that this is unfair. That’s the thing about cancer. I’m not the only one, it happens all the time to people. I’m not special. This just intensifies what I did. It gives it more meaning. It’ll inspire more people. I just wish people would realize that anything’s possible if you try; dreams are made possible if you try."

- Terry Fox

Today is the anniversary of the birth of a great Canadian and a great humanitarian. Terrance Stanley Fox was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba on July, 28, 1958 and was raised in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia. If Terry Fox were alive today, he would be 52 years old.

I had just started my job at the Toronto Star library during the summer of Terry's Marathon of Hope in 1980. I remember reading a tiny blurb about a young British Columbian dipping his artificial leg in the Atlantic Ocean as he set out to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. I had no idea how big this story would become and that this determined young man would make history.

I'll never forget the heartbreak of that September day when Terry was forced to end his run at Thunder Bay, Ontario. Canadians everywhere were overwhelmed with sadness upon hearing the news that Terry's cancer had returned. On September 9, 1980, the Terry Fox telethon was held on the CTV network to help Terry reach his goaL of raising $23 million - one million for every Canadian. The telethon lasted five hours and raised $10 million.

Although Terry Fox died at the age of 23 on June 28, 1981, his dream and his memory have been kept alive by the annual Terry Fox Run every September. I wish I had one iota of the strength and courage that Terry Fox displayed during his brief lifetime. Here's to you, Terry!

And to those who say there are no Canadian heroes, I say balderdash. Terry Fox is one of many and arguably the greatest.


SPORTS

Jose Bautista hit his 29th and 30th home runs of the season as the Toronto Blue Jays overpowered the Baltimore Orioles by a score of 8-2. What a season Bautista is enjoying!

The Jays have now won 11 straight games this season against the hapless Orioles. They play the final game of their current home series with Baltimore tonight. Then they begin a series with Cleveland as the homestand continues.

- Joanne