Terry Fox

Most of these posts are just my ramblings to myself about myself. They help me clear my head, organise my thoughts a bit, and serve as therapy in some way, while dealing with the crap that I deal with in the office, in the field, in my social life, or at home amidst my clutter. All this stuff falls away when I am reminded of someone who demonstrates, with their strength of character, what is truly meaningful in life.

When I was sixteen, I wrote a biographical paper about Terry Fox. It was one of the few times in my life when research that I did in high school actually influenced who I became. I was eleven when he attempted to run 5000+ miles across the continent to raise money for cancer research. It was the first time running really touched my life. Terry's focus and determination under the cloud of having lost a leg to cancer, was and still is something to be truly emulated.

Terry died 25 years ago today, June 28th, 1981, not even halfway through his "Marathon of Hope". He started his run with a support van, three rudimentary artificial legs, little fanfare, and a dream: to raise a million dollars. While he never finished, the runs that have taken place since have raised over $400 million, and the legacy he left behind goes beyond what words can describe. There are now runs to honour Terry and his cause held annually all over the world. I'll be doing my Terry Fox Run again in Central Park this October.

The CBC has a special online tribute to Terry in their archives, and there is no shortage of information about him on the web, from Wikipedia to his own foundation site. Whether you're a runner, you know a cancer survivor, or you're just curious, it's worth a read, if only to remind yourself what's important.