A national internet survey named him Canada's greatest hero. And this famous Canadian hero whose legacy has inspired and helped so many people, was a student at Simon Fraser University! Some text is thanks to www. Canada lost a great citizen and tireless advocate for cancer research with the death of Betty Fox on June 17, Mother of Marathon of Hope runner and SFU alumnus Terry Fox, Betty was awarded an honorary degree from SFU in for her commitment to the promotion of human health and development through research and her ability to inspire others and unite them in common cause.
She served as Honorary Chairperson of the Terry Fox Foundation and assisted in the organization of the annual Terry Fox runs, which take place the world over and have raised millions for cancer research. He dipped his artificial leg in the Atlantic Ocean on April 12th, and proceeded to unite Canadians in a way never before, nor since, seen. The only thing that could have stopped Terry from reaching the Pacific Ocean did. Cancer returned in his lungs and he was forced to stop on September 1st, after having run 5, kilometres.
Granted, he displayed an unusual determination to achieve the goals he set for himself but his orbit was local — family, school, sports and friends. A newly nurtured reservoir of compassion, combined with a fierce determination to bring an end to the suffering cancer causes, set Terry on a path that, quite simply, changed the world. The story was simple but powerful. Terry Fox lost his leg to osteogenic sarcoma at age 18, underwent 16 months of treatment and found he could not ignore the suffering he witnessed in the cancer wards.
Terry decided to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research in a Marathon of Hope. It took cancer to realize that being self-centered is not the way to live.
The answer is to try and help others. Even if I don't finish, we need others to continue. It's got to keep going without me.
Maybe that's why I've made it as far as I have -- 2, miles. Or else I'd never have started. I've seen people in so much pain.
The little bit of pain I'm going through is nothing. They can't shut if off, and I can't shut down every time I feel a little sore. Some people can't figure out what I'm doing. It's not a walk-hop, it's not a trot, it's running, or as close as I can get to running, and it's harder than doing it on two legs.
It makes me mad when people call this a walk. If I was walking than it wouldn't be anything. No reason! It's one thing to run across Canada, but now people are really going to know what cancer is.
If you've given a dollar, you're part of the Marathon of Hope. Furthermore, although it may have been up to the local CSS offices to arrange activities, it had been understood during the planning stages that Alward was responsible for ensuring that the local media was aware of his arrival. Poor attendance at some events created tension between the two young men, both eager for the success of the marathon but lacking experience and support in handling public relations and the media.
Added to these challenges were the many physical problems Fox endured: painful blisters, falling toenails, a bleeding and aching stump, and mechanical issues with his artificial leg, which was not made to withstand the stress he was exerting on it. Dizzy spells and occasional difficulty in breathing, which would later be linked to the spread of his osteogenic sarcoma, made his daily run even more of a struggle.
In addition, his relationship with Alward remained tense. The first weeks of the run took a toll on both young men. Living in such close quarters was a trying experience and was compounded by regular arguments over their respective responsibilities. At one point the relationship was so strained that they barely spoke to each other, pushing a wearied Fox to telephone home from Nova Scotia to share his difficult situation.
His family came to meet them shortly thereafter, and following a frank discussion between Fox and Alward, the friendship was soon mended. Fox was concerned about his journey through Quebec even before his arrival on 10 June, since neither he nor Alward spoke French.
There, some people yelled at him from the side of the road, either because he was slowing down traffic or because they thought he was foolishly risking his safety, and not many gathered to cheer him on, which in turn meant that little money was collected.
At one point near Drummondville he was required by the local police to change his route; the original itinerary was considered too dangerous because of the increased traffic expected for the provincial holiday of 24 June; the alternative route directly affected the visibility of the run. The people who did support him were proud to do so. After being discouraged in Quebec, Fox and Alward remembered their arrival in Ontario more positively. A crowd welcomed Fox as he crossed the border, at Hawkesbury, on 28 June.
By the time Fox reached Toronto, however, he had become a celebrity, and the media throughout the country started to provide more regular updates on his marathon, reporting at least every two weeks, or weekly as the Toronto Star did.
The Toronto visit on 11 July was as successful in raising funds as it was in generating publicity and public awareness. Fox achieved celebrity status quite rapidly considering that he had begun his marathon in mid April. The cause for which he ran resonated more and more with Canadians, explaining in part his meteoric rise in popularity after the Toronto event.
He projected a charismatic persona, which was perfect for attracting media attention. After Toronto, Fox continued through Ontario and was well received in every town he visited.
Some events forced him to slow down, make significant detours, or halt altogether. Sponsors started to contact him and ask him to endorse their brand names or businesses, which he consistently and vehemently refused to do.
For example, in Niagara Falls, he refused to appear at Marineland, an attraction park, because he was not allowed to canvas for funds; he was angered that people wanted to use him for financial gain. As he became a celebrity, reports began to focus on his personal life rather than the run, a shift that would contribute to his eventually strained relationship with the media.
Articles that criticized his fiery temper and his disregard for his health began to emerge, but these were negatively received by the public. Often the CCS would notice an increase in donations after there had been critical coverage. Some stories expressed concern about the message Fox was sending by performing such a difficult and perhaps reckless mission. Others reported on the bleeding of his stump, the heart murmur that had been discovered before his departure and which was not being monitored, or the lack of regular medical check-ups which had been a requirement of the CCS.
A retraction was soon published. When Fox arrived near Thunder Bay, Ont. On 1 September, after enduring intense pain in his chest, he asked to see a doctor. Tests determined that the cancer had spread; there was a tumour in each lung.
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