Canadian Terry Fox, at the young age of 21, began a marathon of hope, with the goal of running from coast to coast across Canada to raise funds for the Cancer Society. Perhaps what is most amazing about this feat is that Terry Fox was an amputee, having lost his leg to cancer. Over almost five months, running with both pain and perseverance as his companions, Terry Fox ran more that half way across Canada, and raised millions of dollars. But just outside Thunder Bay, Ontario, in early September 1980, Terry was forced to return home with the discovery of cancer in his lungs. He died one month short of his twenty-third birthday.
Now, almost 30 years later, students across the country come together every fall to run in honor of one of the top ten Canadians of all time.
Today we held our annual Terry Fox run. For half and hour, we marched, walked, jogged and ran in honor of this courageous hero, and in support of cancer research, a devastating disease which affects so many lives and families.
Take a few minutes to talk to your family about cancer and Terry Fox. Though there is tragedy in his story, I believe he would have us remember him more for his life and works than his death and disease. What a wonderful opportunity to teach our children about what it means to have courage and to never give up.
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