April marks an emotional Canadian anniversary, though it hardly seems possible that 30 years have passed since Terry Fox ran his Marathon of Hope. Terry’s determination to make a difference lives on in the annual run that was born on April 12, 1980, when he dipped his prosthetic leg into the cold Atlantic off St. John's.

Terry was born on July 28, 1958 in Winnipeg, the second of four children. He was an extraordinarily patient and persistent child. He loved long games, and spent many hours with the table-hockey game, devising complicated season schedules. He'd play for both teams, long after his interest waned, because he “wanted to see who won.” In grade eight, Terry’s greatest wish was to play basketball, but he was a mediocre player. He respected his coach’s efforts to steer him toward other sports, like cross-country running, but never gave up his goal. Sheer determination got Terry on the team, ranked 19th out of 19 players. He had one minute of game time all season. But he persevered, practicing early every morning.

His persistence paid off; by grade 12, Terry was co-winner, with his friend Doug Alward, of the Athlete of the Year Award at his Port Coquitlam, BC high school. Terry continued playing basketball at Simon Fraser University. As an athlete, he was used to pain, but near the end of his first year he developed a new pain in his right knee. On March 9, 1977, he learned it was not the cartilage problem he'd suspected, but a tumour. The cure: amputation above the knee. The night before his surgery, reading about an amputee runner, Terry determined to conquer this new challenge. He endured 16 months of chemotherapy, observing the people around him at the cancer clinic, and decided to do more than help himself. He wanted to help find a cure. Never one to set easy goals, Terry decided to run across Canada to raise awareness and funds for cancer research.

His distinctive hop-skip run carried him nearly 40 km per day. As word of his cause spread, people lined the streets, applauding, urging him on, and giving money. Terry drew inspiration from the crowds, toughing out the pain of sores and abrasions under his prosthesis. On September 1, 1980, after a strong start from Thunder Bay, he was coughing and had a pain in his chest that couldn’t be eased. He kept going until there were no more people along the road, then climbed wearily into the van driven by his friend, Doug. The cancer had returned and was lodged in his lung.

After 143 days and 5,373 km, Terry returned to Port Coquitlam. He told a press conference: “I'll fight. I promise I won't give up.” For the next 10 months Terry fought as hard as he could against the disease ravaging his young body. Though honoured with many awards, including the Order of Canada, he refused the role of hero. Terry died, surrounded by his family, on June 28, 1981, one month before his twenty-third birthday. Across the nation, people mourned the loss of the young man with the amiable smile. Today, people around the world remember him as they participate in the annual Terry Fox Run and contribute to The Terry Fox Foundation, which has raised nearly $500 million internationally for cancer research. Terry’s legacy is the hope that his determination has given cancer patients.