Wenn Sie zu einem neuen Land, you need to learn about that country’s heroes. In Kanada, einer jener größer-als-Leben Icons Terry Fox.

Geboren und aufgewachsen in Manitoba in British Columbia, Fox was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer in 1977, als er gerade 18 Jahre alt. His leg was amputated six inches above his knee, and after undergoing intensive cancer treatment, he was fitted for an artificial leg.

Fox subsequently decided to raise money for cancer research. In 1980, despite his artificial leg, begann er seine Marathon of Hope. Starting in April from St John’s, Neufundland, er wollte run across Canada from coast to coast.

Fox ran the equivalent of a marathon a day — 26 Meilen (oder 42 km) — from his Atlantic coast starting point. Bis September, nach 143 Tag und mehr als 3,300 Meilen (5,300 km), er war gut in Ontario, just outside the city of Thunder Bay.

Leider, that’s where his marathon ended. The cancer had spread to his lung, und er hatte zu BC für die Behandlung zurück.

Im Februar des 1981, Fox had achieved his fund-raising goal — zu erhöhen $1 from every Canadian to fight cancer. The Canadian population at that time was 24.1 Million, und seine Marathon of Hope aufgeworfenen $24.1 Million.

Although Fox died of cancer in June 1981, his fund-raising legacy lives on, durch die Terry Fox Foundation und die jährliche Terry Fox Run, was findet in mehr als 900 locations ganz Kanada. This year’s Terry Fox Run will be held this Saturday, September 13, 2009.

Even kids can get in on the fund-raising act through the Terry Fox National School Run Day, was findet Freitag, September 25, 2009 an Schulen bundesweit.

FotoCarolyn B. Heller