Inside the mind of a Canadian icon — the highs, lows, and miles he conquered

Featuring excerpts from Terry’s very own Marathon of Hope journal

In 1976, when Terry Fox was just eighteen years old, he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma and his right leg was amputated just above the knee. It quickly became his mission to help cure cancer so others would not have to endure what he had gone through. He dreamed up a Marathon of Hope — a fundraising run across Canada, from St. John’s, Newfoundland, to Victoria, British Columbia. 7,560 kilometers. 4,700 miles.

When he set off on April 12, 1980, Canadians were dubious. But as he continued across the country, enthusiasm grew to a frenzy. Sadly, Terry’s cancer returned, and after 143 days and 3,339 miles, he was forced to stop his Marathon of Hope. He passed away in 1981, but the nation picked up his mission where he left off, and the annual Terry Fox Run has even spread to cities around the world, raising more than $850 million to date — well over Terry’s goal of one dollar for every Canadian.

After conducting over fifty interviews with people throughout Terry’s life — ranging from his siblings, nurses, and coaches to volunteers during the Marathon of Hope — editor Barbara Adhiya discovers how Terry was able to run a marathon a day. Through their stories, passages from Terry’s marathon journal, and over 200 photos and documents, Hope shows that with enough resilience, determination, humility, and support, ordinary people can do impossible things.

Barbara Adhiya's profile page

Barbara Adhiya, in her twenty-year career as an editor with newswires CP/AP and Reuters, has never lost her hope and faith in humanity. She was an author of Making It in High Heels 3: Innovators and Trailblazers and an editor for Expect Miracles by Dr. Joe Vitale and Finding Happiness by J. Patricia Gileno. She lives in Toronto, Ontario.

“Hope by Terry Fox gives us a masterful look into the character and life of Terry Fox, the human. These personal stories of Terry, as told by those closest to him, will remind us that we can overcome obstacles, be the best we can be with what we have, and make a difference along the way. Terry’s impact on my life was significant. My hope is that you’ll see there is a bit of Terry Fox in all of us.” — Rick Hansen, founder, Rick Hansen Foundation

“This book shows why the Terry Fox story never fades. It’s a real-life drama driven by a dream in a mission of hope. Canadian to its core.” — Lloyd Robertson, Canadian national news anchor from 1970 to 2011

“In this immersive and intimate oral history, coaches, fellow athletes, childhood friends, family, and those who opened their homes and hearts to Terry as he ran, reveal — some for the first time — his astonishing drive, compassion, and sweetness of character. His great dream, now closing in on a billion dollars raised for cancer research, still speaks to us today.” — Leslie Scrivener, author of Terry: His Story

“Terry Fox is my hero. I will always admire his humility and courage. Terry continues to inspire me and so many others every day.” — Darryl Sittler, Hockey Hall of Fame NHL player from 1970 to 1985

“I know how much of an impact Terry had on my life and I know he inspired millions more, but this book digs even deeper with raw emotion from everyone he encountered. This book shows why Terry is a hero. These stories give a great example of how he treated and inspired everyone he met.” — Jay Triano, former NBA head coach of the Toronto Raptors