Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope remembered by brother Fred during visit to Gledhill Junior Public School this week
By JESSICA SHACKLETON
Every September, across Canada, students learn about Terry Fox and the Marathon of Hope. This week, students at Gledhill Junior Public School heard Terry’s story from a very special guest, his older brother, Fred Fox.
Gledhill students and staff greeted Fox with signs and Terry Fox Run t-shirts. The school was Fred Fox’s second-to-last stop on a series of school visits before heading back home to Maple Ridge, British Columbia.
He told the Gledhill students about growing up with Terry and what his legacy means to him and Canadians.
Fred is a year older than Terry, and they have a younger brother and sister named Darrell and Judy. Fred Fox holds the title of Supporter Relations at the Terry Fox Foundation.
Fred said he and Terry did everything together as kids, and Terry was very athletic. Their mother taught them early on to finish what they start. In his first year at Simon Fraser University, Terry was diagnosed with a cancerous osteosarcoma and had his right leg amputated above the knee, a moment Fred recalled.
“I was 19 and Terry was 18, and I can honestly tell you, even though we were older teenagers, we had no idea what cancer was. We didn’t know how serious it was, what it meant, what would eventually happen,” he said. “People didn’t talk about cancer in the same way as they do today.”
For Terry, cancer was just another challenge to overcome.
“Terry saw other people going through the same thing, and it changed (his) life. It impacted him like nothing had before,” said Fred. “It soon became apparent it didn’t matter to Terry how sick he was or how much pain he was in; he was more worried about other people.”
Terry was marathon training on his artificial leg, which was meant for walking and not running. Fred remembered that Terry told his parents he was planning to run in the Vancouver Marathon, but he had a bigger goal in mind.
“He said, ‘I’ve decided to run across Canada. I want to raise money for cancer research so no one else in the future will have to suffer from a cancer diagnosis,’” said Fred. “Mom was very protective. She told Terry she thought it was a crazy idea.”
Fred said their mother wondered why he wouldn’t just run across B.C. to raise money, to which Terry responded, “Not only people in B.C. get cancer, people right across Canada do. I need to start in Newfoundland.”
Terry and his good friend Doug Alward began the journey, with Terry collecting water from the Atlantic Ocean with his artificial leg. He planned to do the same thing when he got to the Pacific Ocean. That water is now at the Royal B.C. Museum in Victoria.
When Terry started his run on April 12, 1980, from Outer Cove, Newfoundland, to St. John’s, only a few people and local media were there. By the time he reached Ontario, all of Canada knew what he was doing.
Their brother, Darrell Fox, was with Terry during the Marathon of Hope, while Fred was back in B.C. He joined Terry and ran with him through Toronto past hundreds of people lining University Avenue towards Toronto City Hall.
“He wasn’t running to become a hero, he wasn’t running to become famous, he wasn’t running to become rich from what he was doing. None of that stuff mattered,” said Fred. “All that mattered to Terry was that he was making a difference and it would help other people. That’s what kept him going. He ran one step at a time, one telephone pole at a time, one mile at a time.”
Fred returned home after a few days of running with him in southern Ontario and eventually met up again in Wawa, Ontario, shortly before Terry’s run was halted by cancer returning in September 1980. Terry Fox died on June 28, 1981, at the age of 22. Canadians have continued his run for 45 years since he was forced to stop.
Gledhill is a kindergarten to Grade 5 school, so while many students and staff have heard Terry’s story before, hearing it from his older brother was a special experience. Fred said he also felt this as he entered the school. The school’s gym is even located in Terry Fox Community Centre, one of the many buildings named after him across the country.
“When I walked in, it was so welcoming, seeing so many Terry Fox Run t-shirts. Those red t-shirts represent the work you guys are doing every year when you raise money for cancer research, that it’s working,” said Fred.
Gledhill has been raising money during the Terry Fox Run for 24 years and has raised a total $101,000 through its participation. Last year, they raised $10,200 and hope to reach $10,450 at this year’s school run.
Across Canada the Terry Fox School Run takes place on Thursday, Sept. 25. To learn more, please visit https://terryfoxschoolrun.org/
Also, local residents should be aware that the 44th annual Beaches Terry Fox Run will take place this Sunday, Sept. 14, starting at Woodbine Beach Park, 1675 Lake Shore Blvd. E. The run starts at 9 a.m. and participants are welcome to join in anytime up to 1 p.m. In-person registration begins at 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 14 at the pavilion across from the Woodbine Beach Bathing Station. Participants are also encouraged to register in advance at https://run.terryfox.ca/92843
