Some stories transcend time, countries, and generations. Not because they are simple or happy, but because they carry values that resonate with people regardless of where they come from. The story of Terry Fox is one of them.
Terry Fox was an 18-year-old Canadian student who was diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma, a form of bone cancer. In order to prevent the cancer from spreading, doctors had to amputate his right leg. During his time in hospital, however, Terry was affected not only by his own experience. He also witnessed the suffering of other patients, many of them young children, and decided to do something for everyone affected by cancer.
In 1980, he set out to run across Canada to raise funds for cancer research. He called his journey the Marathon of Hope. Over 143 days, he ran 5,373 kilometres – an average of almost a marathon every day. He ran with a prosthetic leg that reminded him with every step just how challenging the goal he had set for himself was.
On September 1, 1980, Terry was forced to stop his journey after the cancer spread to his lungs. He died on June 28, 1981, at just 22 years old. But Terry Fox’s story did not end with his death. In many ways, that was when the next chapter of his legacy began.
From One Run to a Global Movement
After Terry’s death, his vision spread far beyond Canada’s borders. People around the world began organizing Terry Fox Runs – runs held in Terry’s honour that raise funds for cancer research while keeping his determination and legacy alive. What has made his story resonate with millions of people across cultures and generations?
“We all know someone who has had cancer. We all want our friends and loved ones to survive cancer. I think we all see something in Terry that we connect with – the act of trying our very best to overcome a challenge, and trying very hard to make a difference in an important cause,” explains Peter Sherementa, Executive Director of International Terry Fox Runs under The Terry Fox Foundation.
According to Sherementa, it is this universal human experience that has allowed Terry’s story to reach far beyond Canada. Cancer does not care about nationality or where someone lives. Neither does the desire to help others. Terry’s legacy can also be summed up in three values that are particularly meaningful for children: perseverance, compassion, and activism. Never giving up, caring about others, and choosing to take action to help make the world a better place.
When Perseverance Turns into Real Change
Today, the Terry Fox Run is much more than a tribute to one extraordinary person. It is also an important part of supporting cancer research. According to The Terry Fox Foundation, more than 3 million students around the world have already taken part in Terry Fox School Runs. Each one adds their own small step to a much larger collective effort. “They are combining their efforts with more than 3,000,000 other students around the world. All those millions of people raise a lot of money that funds a lot of cancer research. Students are part of a worldwide movement to cure cancer,” says Peter Sherementa.
This support for research has contributed to tangible progress. One example is bone cancer, the disease Terry himself battled. “In Terry Fox’s day, if you had bone cancer, 9 times out of 10 you would lose your leg. Today, 9 times out of 10 you keep your leg,” Sherementa explains. Cancer research has advanced enormously over the past four decades, but continued funding remains essential. As Sherementa recalls through the words of a friend who is a cancer survivor: “When you get that news from your doctor that you have cancer, you want the research done 10 years ago. That is why we need to fund cancer research now.”
Why We Continue in Terry’s Footsteps
These are precisely the values we want to pass on to our students at Maple Bear schools. We believe education goes beyond what happens in the classroom. We want our students to understand the world around them, care about others, and recognize that they too can contribute to positive change. That is why we are honoured to continue in Terry’s footsteps. Not because we want to replicate his extraordinary athletic achievement, but because we want to carry his message forward. Terry showed that one person can inspire millions through determination – and that change begins when we decide to take the first step.
Today, Terry Fox Runs take place in countries around the world and are gradually becoming part of the school landscape in Central and Eastern Europe as well. For Peter Sherementa, this is above all a reflection of the shared humanity that connects us: “The photos of your events show dedicated teachers, optimistic students, and caring parents. While these are photos thousands of kilometres away from Canada, in places such as Bulgaria, Poland, Czechia, and Ukraine, they could be the same images as in Canada. Schools all have something in common – people who care about each other, people who believe that we can make the world a better place.” And this year, we are proud to become part of this global movement too.
The Terry Fox Run at Maple Bear Olomouc
This year, we are organizing our own Terry Fox Run in Olomouc, bringing together our Elementary students, Kindergarten children, and children from other local kindergartens in Olomouc. We want our students not only to learn about Terry Fox’s story, but also to understand that their own actions can make a real difference. Helping others does not always require grand gestures. Sometimes, it can begin simply – with a run, a donation, or a decision to take part.
As part of this year’s Terry Fox Run, we have therefore launched a public fundraising campaign called Běžíme pro naději – Running for Hope on Donio.cz. The campaign aims to support cancer treatment research at the University Hospital Olomouc. Terry Fox set out on his run to help scientists find new ways to fight cancer. More than four decades later, we are carrying that same idea forward – this time right here in our own city.
Běžíme pro naději – Running for Hope
Terry started with a single step. That step grew into a movement joined by millions of people around the world. Now, we can add our own steps too.
Join us and support the Běžíme pro naději – Running for Hope fundraising campaign on Donio.cz. Every contribution, regardless of its size, helps support cancer treatment research at the University Hospital Olomouc. By taking part, you become part of a story that began in Canada, travelled thousands of kilometres, and continues today right here in Olomouc. Because cancer knows no borders – but neither does hope.
