What Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope and a New Documentary Teach Us About Turning Personal Perseverance into a National Cause

Fox’s original goal was to run from St. John’s to Victoria – a distance of about 8,000 kilometres – and he planned to cover roughly 42 kilometres each day, the length of a marathon.

After 143 days on the road, Fox was forced to stop near Thunder Bay on Sept. 1, 1980 when doctors told him the cancer had spread to his lungs. By then he had run 5,373 kilometres.

Fox was determined that any money raised would go directly to cancer research. He refused personal sponsorship, insisting the funds belong to the cause, while the Canadian Cancer Society hired a publicist, Ford donated a van and Adidas supplied running shoes.

The Marathon of Hope grew into a national movement, and the fundraising campaign it started has raised more than $1 billion for cancer research worldwide.

The documentary shows that personal perseverance, clear storytelling and broad community support can turn an individual challenge into a lasting social cause.

Fox’s original goal was to run from St. John’s to Victoria – a distance of about 8,000 kilometres – and he planned to cover roughly 42 kilometres each day, the length of a marathon.

After 143 days on the road, Fox was forced to stop near Thunder Bay on Sept. 1, 1980 when doctors told him the cancer had spread to his lungs. By then he had run 5,373 kilometres.

The Marathon of Hope grew into a national movement, and the fundraising campaign it started has raised more than $1 billion for cancer research worldwide.

The documentary shows that personal perseverance, clear storytelling and broad community support can turn an individual challenge into a lasting social cause.