My Own Prison

A SINGLE DREAM. A WORLD OF HOPE. 

Terry Fox was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and raised in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, a community near Vancouver on Canada's west coast. An active teenager involved in many sports, Terry was only 18 years old when he was diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma (bone cancer) and forced to have his right leg amputated 15 centimetres (six inches) above the knee in 1977.

While in hospital, Terry was so overcome by the suffering of other cancer patients, many of them young children, that he decided to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research.

He would call his journey the Marathon of Hope.

It was a journey that Canadians never forgot.

After 18 months and running over 5,000 kilometres (3,107 miles) to prepare, Terry started his run in St. John’s, Newfoundland on April 12, 1980 with little fanfare. Although it was difficult to garner attention in the beginning, enthusiasm soon grew, and the money collected along his route began to mount. He ran close to 42 kilometres (26 miles) a day through Canada's Atlantic provinces, Quebec and Ontario. However, on September 1st, after 143 days and 5,373 kilometres (3,339 miles), Terry was forced to stop running outside of Thunder Bay, Ontario because cancer had appeared in his lungs. An entire nation was stunned and saddened. Terry passed away on June 28, 1981 at the age 22.

The heroic Canadian was gone, but his legacy was just beginning.

To date, over $550 million has been raised worldwide for cancer research in Terry's name through the annual Terry Fox Run, held across Canada and around the world.

On Wednesday, September 28th, my school had their annual Terry Fox Run to raise money for cancer research. Our run was very successful! Also, there were other fundraisers alongside the Terry Fox Run that also contributed to cancer research; Hennas, Volleyball Buy-In and Raffle Tickets were three other side charities that contributed to our overall success. Thanks to everyone who contributed; student government, students and teachers! Everyone did a fabulous job! 

By Thursday, September 29th, 2011, my school, so far, raised over $10,300! 
By Thursday, October 6th, 2011, my school, so far, raised over $15,000! 

Environmental Council did something very inspirational and beautiful this year... They placed a prosthetic leg in the main hall, and filled the giant poster with Band-Aids to symbolize that we are doing everything we can as catalysts, by racing towards the cure to cancer. To speed up the healing process, the Band-Aids are filled with inspiring quotes that our students wrote as motivational tips! What beautiful and incredible work! Here they are:

  

     

In Memory of Terry Fox; (July 28, 1958 - June 28, 1981)... I do too believe in miracles too, I have to.. because you inspired me to, as well as inspiring millions of others. You are a true hero!