Terry Fox was born on July 28, 1958 in Canada．He was a determined little boy who never liked to miss a day of school．Fox enjoyed playing baseball and basketball very much in his free time．In secondary school he won the Athlete of the Year Award． He wanted to be a physical education teacher．
Terry Fox's future changed in 1977 when doctors told him there was cancer in his right knee．To stop the spread of cancer, doctors amputated (截肢) most of his leg．Fox learned how to use an artificial leg, and three weeks after the operation, he was walking．
Terry Fox made a plan to raise money for cancer research by running across Canada．His goal was to raise $1 from every Canadian．People said it was a crazy idea but Terry could not be stopped．He started his running on the Atlantic coast in Newfoundland in April 1980 and planned to finish on the Pacific coast in September．
The people of Newfoundland were welcoming and generous．Fox was treated to many meals at people's homes．A small town of 10,000 people raised $10,000．Fox ran about 45 km each day．He ran through Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario．As he ran he gave speeches about cancer and how the money he collected would go to finding a cure for cancer．The 8,000 people in the town of Gravenhurst donated $14,000．By the time he ran half-way across Canada he had raised $11.4 million．
At the end of August he thought he was getting a bad cold and stopped running for a few days．Doctors said the cancer had come back and was now in his lungs．Terry went into hospital for treatment．People kept donating money．There were 24 million people in Canada in 1980．Over $24 million had been raised by February 1981．Terry had met his goal．The treatment did not cure Terry． He died on June 28, 1981．That September, the first Terry Fox Run was held in Canada．Terry Fox Runs are now held yearly in 60 countries and millions of people have taken part．More than $ 360 million has been raised for cancer research．The donations for cancer research don't stop．His dream lives on．
The Man Who Never Up — Terry Fox | |
Personal information | ·He was born on July 28, 1958 in Canada． ·He worked hard at school and enjoyed playing baseball and basketball in his free time． ·He died of cancer on June 28, 1981． |
Main events | ·In secondary school he won the Athlete of the Year Award． ·In 1977, cancer was found in his right knee and he his right leg in the operation, but he was walking again three weeks later with an artificial leg． ·In April 1980, he started running from Newfoundland in the east of Canada all the way to the coast to raise money for cancer research． ·In August 1980, doctor found the cancer had and this time it was in his lungs． ·After he died, an event called Terry Fox Run is held a year in 60 countries and millions of people have taken part． |
