The iconic image of Terry running along long and lonely roads during the 143 days of his Marathon of Hope does not convey the full picture of that historic effort. If the photographer were to widen his lens, there would appear the tens, hundreds, even thousands of Canadians lining those very roads cheering Terry on and taking inspiration from his example.

When Terry recognized that he would not be able to complete his Marathon, he instead bequeathed his mission to those very Canadians who kept him going day in and day out. He knew before his death that there would be an annual Terry Fox Run in cities, towns, hamlets and villages across the country. It was our turn to inspire Terry Fox.

Many years later, Canadians adopted Terry’s mission of finding a cure for all cancers with an enthusiasm and passion that has done him proud. In keeping with the approach of its founder, The Terry Fox Run (1981 - ) is an innovative and volunteer-led event, all-inclusive, non-competitive, with no corporate sponsorship, incentives or fundraising minimums.


It has become a fall tradition in Canada to gather your friends and family, lace on your shoes, bring our pledge sheets and attend your favourite Terry Fox Run site, where Organizers have no budget for expenses but have unlimited appreciation for your attendance!

When I ran through the Sparks Street Mall, the road was narrow yet people were running behind me and all these other people were lined up clapping for me. I was floating through the air and didn’t even feel a thing. I felt so great. That type of memory you can never take away.
— Terry Fox