The Terry Fox Memorial at BC Place. Photo by KK Law
On Sep. 16, Canadians lace up their sneakers and hit the pavement for the Terry Fox Run. This annual run was inspired by Fox’s 1980 Marathon of Hope, which he started in St. John’s, Newfoundland, and planned to end in Victoria, BC. After running roughly a marathon a day (42 km or 26 mi) for 143 days, Fox was forced to end his journey just outside Thunder Bay, Ontario, as the cancer that claimed his right leg had spread to his lungs. He passed away on June 28, 1981, at the age of 22.
His motivating story lives on, with his namesake run the world’s largest one-day fundraiser for cancer research—over $600 million has been raised so far.
Pay respect to this hometown hero, and the youngest recipient of The Order of Canada, with a visit to the year-old Douglas Coupland–designed memorial on the west side of BC Place.—Jennifer Patterson
Stay, Dine, Do