The Terry Fox Foundation

Thank you Schools who put the fun in Terry Fox fundraising! Bedford Park Public School in Stratford, Ontario celebrated this special anniversary year in 40 different ways, inspiring its students to set goals one step at a time, as they traveled across Canada. All that awesome effortand $1,555 raised for cancer research!

Thank you Terry Foxers who remind us that we are never too young to make a difference. John K, at Montgomery Street School in Fredericton, NB, has been captivated by Terry since watching a video in kindergarten. Now 6, he decided this would be the year that he started his own fundraising page and set a goal of $1,000. After designing his own promotional poster, John also designed a prosthetic limb out of Legos, in keeping with his aim to be a Biomedical Engineer one day. After reaching his 2020 goal, he has now set his sights on 2021 and a $10,000 goal. We are so proud to have you on our team, John!

Thank You Teachers for bringing a smile to the faces of your students every day, for understanding that we all need a little motivation sometimes, for willing to get silly for Terry Fox. Hats off to the Principal and Vice-Principal of Hyde Park Public School in Barrie for making sure they met the challenge set for them when their classes met the fundraising goal. Who wouldn’t like to be greeted by these lovely birds at morning drop-off?

Thank You Team 4Pineapples, for forging a unique path this year to mark the 40th anniversary. A 30-year Terry Fox supporter, Team Captain Melanie wore a riot of rainbow colours to pay tribute to loved ones fighting different types of cancer. Knowing their Team’s efforts support many types of cancer research, the team also organized a chic (and pandemic-safe) Pampered Chef Fundraising Party where all sales commissions were donated to the Run. Finally, Melanie and Team 4Pineapples rolled into the local school during their Terry Fox Run this year to show their support for their family’s youngest Pineapples, and for all the sweet supporters of Terry’s dream.

Thank You Sterling Hall School, for inspiring your students, parents, staff and community to remember those who need our help in the midst of this pandemic, for never giving up when the way forward was not clear, and for raising more than $30,000 for cancer research this year. And finally, for encouraging students like Christopher to bring a smile to our faces with 40 jokes for 40 years!

Thank you Teachers who go above and beyond for Terry Fox! John Tipper of Branlyn Community School in Ontario definitely fits the bill in 2020, allowing students to paint his car in recognition of their awesome fundraising efforts. The reward spurred students on to run daily announcements, hang posters, and play music to get the school inspired. We wonder if the new paint job actually increased the re-sale value we’ll start the bidding at $25!

Thank you, Terry, for showing us that hope and inspiration is not fleeting. In this challenging year, a nation of Terry Fox fundraisers, volunteers, donors, communities, schools, teams and supporters, have shown us that the hope and inspiration you ignited 40 years ago burns as brightly as ever. You continue to be a beacon of light for all of us, Terry, as we work every day towards a world without cancer. Just like you, we won’t ever give up.

Thank YouMembers of the Piikani Nation in Brocket, Alberta, who hosted their first-ever, socially distanced, community Terry Fox Run this year. And they did it in style, thanks to the Aakom-Kiyii Health Services department which purchased 100 Terry Fox T-shirts for their community members to wear on the September walk. In a tough year, it’s inspiring to see Terry’s spirit continue to act as a beacon of hope all across Canada.

Thank you Contributors to the book Forever Terry, for sharing what Terry means to you, for allowing us to see him through your eyes, for inspiring us with your words and passion. Chapter 39, submitted by Canadian gold medal speed skater Catriona Le May Doan: Thank you, Terry. Thank you for challenging me. Thank you for being an example to me. Though we are on this Earth for just a brief period of time, it is during that time that we must make a mark. A mark on others. A mark on our community. A mark that will inspire at least one person to be better and achieve more than they ever thought possible. To learn more about "Forever Terry" and "Terry and Me" please visit: http://ow.ly/VO3g50CjJMQ

My Waywith Christa, NB No matter where we looked in 2020, Canadians inspired us with their try. One story that caught our eye was the effort of Christa Wood and Team Christa. Having participated in every Run since 1981, Christa has made a difference in the lives of so many cancer patients with her dedication to the cause. Just last year, she was diagnosed with Stage 3 ovarian cancer. When Christa registered her Team for 2020 she wrote, Terry Fox was an amazing person an...d he motivates me to push forward everyday! And motivated she was! Not content with a mere 10km walk, Christa, together with husband Sheldon and bubble friends, added a 30km bike ride to their effort, all within 24 hours. They then topped it off by raising more than $3,000 for cancer research. Thank you, Christa, for inspiring us with your dedication, passion and amazing try.

Thank YouResearchers who are committed to Terry’s dream of a world without cancer. Dr. Peter Black, a member of the Terry Fox New Frontiers in Targeting the Adaptive Molecular Landscape in Castrate-Resistant Prostate Cancer, always makes time to fundraise for the Run, raising more than $10,000 a year to help the Foundation fund the best research projects in Canada. Peter is an inspiring example of the kind of support the Foundation receives from the brilliant, compassionate Canadian cancer research community.

#ThisIsOur40 - Harrison Hot Springs Elementary School, BC When someone says to you, Go jump in a lake, you might not think of that as a particularly favourable suggestion. But in the case of Terry Foxers at Harrison Hot Springs School, it was all about raising as much money for cancer research as possible! The challenge: if the school could raise $1,000 for their Terry Fox Run, Principal Tammy Nazarchuk would jump into Harrison Lake. Students and parents did one better, rai...sing more than $2,200, and ensuring that Tammy would be joined in the leap by staff members La Vern, Wendy, Helen, Margot and special guest Sasquatch. Anything can happen when you are inspired! We’re not sure if there is another lake nearby to jump into, but we know Sasquatch would be thrilled if you donated to this great school: http://ow.ly/Fgcz50BUVoI

#ThisIsOur40 - A.B. Lucas Secondary School, ON What’s the gift that keeps giving in this month of giving thanks? Terry Fox schools! It is so inspiring to see our students and teachers continue to fundraise for cancer research. Last week high schoolers at A.B. Lucas set a Covid-influenced goal of $1 per student, but clearly, Covid is no match for these Terry Foxers. They more than doubled their goal! Their participation was made even more meaningful this year because they were... honouring Justin Bongers, a colleague and well-loved teacher who recently passed away from cancer. As one of our School Organizers said, These high school students might not run, but they never forget the reason for this event. It’s not too late to consider making a donation to honour these high schoolers try: http://ow.ly/uRua50BURvs

#OnThisDay October 15, 1979 Imagine today seeing a 21-year old sitting down at a typewriter and composing a 2-page letter. No use of emojis, email addresses or abbreviations; no LOLs or IMHOs; just pure emotion and a heartfelt message. That is Terry Fox, 41 years ago today, as he composes his letter to the Canadian Cancer Society, introducing himself, telling his story and asking for their support. The tone is upbeat, confident, respectful. It is also raw, emotional and... full of the determination that comes to be a hallmark of Terry’s Marathon of Hope. He writes, The running I can do, even if I have to crawl every last mile. The letter ends with one of Terry’s most famous quotes, I’m not a dreamer, and I’m not saying that this will initiate any kind of definitive answer or cure to cancer, but I believe in miracles. I have to. It is no wonder that the head of the BC Division of the CCS, Blair Mackenzie, shares later that he recognizes Terry’s unique quality as they agree to support his run. This is not the only letter Terry writes, but it is the first. And the start of one of the most inspiring stories in Canadian history.

Maebyn McKenzie of Red Deer, AB, who turns 7 in December, shows us that age doesn’t matter when you have a big try! After learning about Terry Fox, Maebyn wanted to raise money for "cancer reachers" J After deciding a lemonade stand in October was not that great of idea, she embarked on a Fox cookie sale. Maebyn helped every step of the way and even piped the face cookies with some guidance. The end result was $210 raised for the Terry Fox Foundation! Maebyn’s mom shared that she tells us she will not be running across Canada any time soon and will stick to cookies. Every cookie makes a difference in the fight against cancer thank you, Maebyn!

Terry Fox lived a life of gratitude. To his parents, for raising him with a kind heart and a fierce determination. To his teachers and coaches, who taught him the value of hard work. To Canadians, who supported his dream of a world free of cancer. As we celebrate Thanksgiving, we give thanks for every parent and teacher who shares Terry’s message of courage and compassion; for every person, young or older, who strives to help others; for every Canadian who supports cancer research generously. We wish you and your loved ones a happy and safe Thanksgiving.

On this Thanksgiving weekend, there are not enough minutes in the day to thank every one of the incredible supporters we have, more than 4 million strong. But we have always tried to express our gratitude in as many ways as possible, and that always includes Terry’s amazing family. His mom Betty spent 31 years travelling months of every year to thank the people who had kept her son’s dream alive; his dad Rolly picked up when Betty could no longer; his brothers and sister, Fred, Darrell and Judi, devote their lives to sharing their gratitude; his nieces and nephews, who never had the chance to meet him, are taking up the same mantle. We will never be able to thank every Canadian and Terry Foxer around the world...but we will never stop trying.

My Way with the ALLStar Crew, Newcastle, ON It was amazing to watch the faces of Canadians as Terry ran by inspired, emotional, and proud. Children looked at him in awe as they realized, possibly for the first time, that heroes did not exist only in the pages of comic books or on sports teams. We think Terry would be looking at our ALLStar Crew with the same admiration in his eyes for their inspiring try for cancer research. Despite the obvious challenges of hosting t...heir second annual lemonade stand during the pandemic, Ashley, Jason, Max, Elle, Ben, Meg, Dave, Avery and Norah refused to cancel and instead improvised. From sanitizing to wearing masks to introducing a BYOC (Bring Your Own Cup) policy, these amazing children didn’t just reach their $200 goal they demolished it! After asking what Terry would do if he reached his goal, they proceeded to up it to $500 and blew through that as well! By the end of the day, these ALLStars had raised more than $2,000 and counting. They are heroes to us. If you have an appreciation for an icy cold lemonade served to you by fantastic Terry Foxers, you can support this crew here: www.terryfox.ca/allstarcrew

There are more than 1 million Terry Fox Run shirts in the closets and drawers of Canadians. On this long weekend in Canada, we may see more than a few versions of the shirt as we take leisurely post-Thanksgiving dinner walks. The one shirt you won’t see is the iconic map of Canada shirt that Terry wore for many days of his run. We didn’t see Terry in this shirt until early July of 1980, when he met Elaine Gerow in Havelock, Ontario. She recalled the meeting to The Toronto S...tar in 2000: I wore a sleeveless T-shirt with a map of Canada on the front and on the back it had the words ‘I’m for Terry’. Terry remarked how much he liked my T-shirt. I asked if I could get him one so we discussed what he would like on it. Finally he decided on Marathon of Hope with a map of Canada on the front and Give for Cancer Research on the back. Less than a year later, when Terry was laid to rest, he was wearing one of his favourite shirts.

#ThisIsOur40 Open Roads School/École Publique Open Roads, ON Over the 143 days that Terry ran on the Marathon of Hope, he encountered snow, hail, rain, heat, and humidity. What he never had to endure was sleeping in a tent during any of those weather conditions. We know Terry would be impressed with the 40th anniversary try by the principals of Open Roads in Dryden who took part in Tenting for Terry as the reward for their students reaching their $500 fundraising goal (...now at $1,400!). Principals Mrs. Oberg and Mrs. Jackson spent a chilly and rainy evening in their respective tents, set up by their students. The local police department even tucked them safely into their tents at bedtime! School Organizer Heather Friesen sent us some great colour commentary: It was pretty hilarious this morning as they crawled out of their tents and waved to all the students getting dropped off for school. That’s how we roll in north-western Ontario! Perk of the cold...no mosquitos! If you appreciate these intrepid campers, please consider supporting Open Roads here: http://ow.ly/WO2n50BOA4i

#ThisIsOur40 - Opasquia School, MB What would you wish for if you had 40 wishes in this 40th anniversary year? The students at École Opasquia School in The Pas shared some of theirs, and they are remarkable: We wish we could give all cancer patients a hug.... We wish we could jump to the future and bring back the cure. We wish the cure was easy. We wish cancer would stop right now. We wish Ryder was still here. We wish we could meet every one of those students to thank them for having empathy and compassion beyond their years. And we would also give them a $40 donation to make sure they met their $4,000 fundraising goal and got their promised pajama day! If you are a fan of awesome, caring students please consider donating to Opasquia here: http://ow.ly/ib0L50BN3Mh