A twenty-two-year-old cancer survivor and amputee, Terry set out from St. John’s, Newfoundland, in April 1980, aiming to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. His first months on the road in Atlantic Canada and Quebec were not only physically taxing - he ran the equivalent of a marathon a day - but frustrating as Canadians were slow to recognize and support his endeavor.
That all changed when he met a young man named Bill Vigars, who on behalf of the Canadian Cancer Society led a campaign to ensure that every person in Canada knew the story of this outstanding young man. Vigars was by Fox’s side through all the highs and lows until the tragic end of his journey in Thunder Bay. A recurrence of his cancer cut short Terry’s dream and, soon, his life.
Now, for the first time, Vigars tells the inside story of the Marathon of Hope - the logistical nightmares, boardroom battles and moments of pure magic - while giving us a fresh, insightful portrait of one of the greatest Canadians who ever lived.
On April 12, 1980, Terry began the Marathon of Hope, a cross-country run to raise money for cancer research. He hoped to raise one dollar from each of Canada's 24 million people. He began in St. John's, NF, in April and ran the equivalent of a full marathon every day. On September 1, 1980, he was forced to end his run outside Thunder Bay because the cancer had spread to his lungs. He headed home to BC immediately to begin treatment and passed away in June 1981.
One of Terry's earliest supporters was Isadore Sharp, founder of the Four Seasons Hotels, who proposed an annual fundraising run in Terry's name. Terry agreed but insisted that the runs be non-competitive. The first Terry Fox Run was on on September 13, 1981 ... over 300,000 people took part and raised $3.5 million. The Run has grown to involve millions of participants in over 60 countries and is now the world's largest one-day fundraiser for cancer research ... almost a billion dollars has been raised.
I've read a few books about Terry Fox and was a volunteer with our local Terry Fox Run. Bill Vigars, who passed away a few weeks ago, worked for the Canadian Cancer Society in Ontario and became Terry's public relations officer just before he entered Ontario. Bill's goal was to help raise awareness of what Terry was doing, therefore raising funds for cancer research. They spent a lot of time together and became friends. It was interesting to get a more personal and up-close account of his run from someone so close to him and still meant a lot to him all these years later.
Terry was an ordinary young man living in Port Coquitlam, BC. He was athletic and enjoyed running and basketball. When he was 19, they discovered he had a cancerous tumour and his right leg was amputated at the knee. With an artificial leg, he began running again and played wheelchair basketball.
On April 12, 1980, Terry began the Marathon of Hope, a cross-country run to raise money for cancer research. He hoped to raise one dollar from each of Canada's 24 million people. He began in St. John's, NF, in April and ran the equivalent of a full marathon every day. On September 1, 1980, he was forced to end his run outside Thunder Bay because the cancer had spread to his lungs. He headed home to BC immediately to begin treatment and passed away in June 1981.
One of Terry's earliest supporters was Isadore Sharp, founder of the Four Seasons Hotels, who proposed an annual fundraising run in Terry's name. Terry agreed but insisted that the runs be non-competitive. The first Terry Fox Run was on on September 13, 1981 ... over 300,000 people took part and raised $3.5 million. The Run has grown to involve millions of participants in over 60 countries and is now the world's largest one-day fundraiser for cancer research ... almost a billion dollars has been raised.
In the middle of the book, there were 15 pages of pictures, some I've never seen before. One major criticism of the book is there were an appalling amount of typos and grammatical errors in this book ... whoever signed off on it at the publisher should be fired.
