More than four decades after Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope captured a nation, his brother is leading a small group of cyclists across Canada to raise money for cancer awareness and research.
The group of eight will set out from Terry Fox Plaza in downtown Vancouver on Monday morning, and over the next month, they will ride roughly 220 kilometres a day to reach St. John’s, N.L., on July 10.
Darrell Fox tells 1130 NewsRadio it’s going to be tough, but he’s up for the challenge.
“I think I can, I think I can, I think I can,” Fox chuckled. “I’m not a spring chicken anymore. Youth is not an ally. But I was in a stinky Ford van in 1980 as a third member of the Marathon of Hope, and I witnessed Terry run a marathon every day on an artificial leg for 93 days.”
“I think Terry is going to be within me every pedal stroke, and I’m going to give it my all to find my way to St. John’s.”
The 63-year-old says his brother is his inspiration.
“Every day. I would have to say for the first few years after Terry passed, I ran away from his legacy because it was difficult dealing with a loss, but since that time, I embrace it. I have this incredible gift of witnessing his legacy in action every day of my life, and I cannot get enough of it, even though we’re 45 years removed from the Marathon of Hope. I’m still learning and being inspired by Terry’s example of giving everything he can for a cause.”
Darrell understands his brother’s icon status but says Terry’s style was humble.
“We don’t like Terry to be placed on a pedestal, he wouldn’t be comfortable being up there. He thought he was very average, and that’s what I try to share about Terry, he was just an average individual with incredible determination, and it’s through hard work and drive that he was successful.”
Darrell says not a day goes by that he doesn’t think of or miss his late brother.
“Loss, and I know this 44 years after Terry passed, that it never goes away. I’m dealing with that every day, but I also recognize that talking about Terry, explaining what he went through, and what he attempted to accomplish is very much part of the healing process,” he said.
“It’ll always be emotional, but I know with the efforts of so many Terry Fox’ers across the country, we are getting there in terms of finding the answers to cancer, and that’s what helps me deal with the difficult times that I have every day.”
Darrell explains that hearing people’s shared experiences around cancer helps him.
“They want to share how they lost a loved one or they know someone battling cancer right now, and it helps for me, and perhaps for them, to share that with because we both know what it’s like when we’re having those conversations.”
The goal of this event is to raise at least $1 million for cancer awareness and research.
“I reflect back on an event in 1980, just outside of Toronto, where support for Terry was everywhere and he was asked, ‘What do you hope comes from this incredible support you’re getting today?’ And Terry simply said, ‘More money.’ So, it’s all about raising money.”
Darrell says ushering in the next era of cancer research is already paying off.
“People are living longer with cancer. They’re surviving cancer. Terry’s form of cancer, if he was diagnosed today, there’s a good chance he would live and would never have had his leg amputated.
“We want to ensure we’re treating the right person with the right treatment at the right time. It’s called personalized medicine, and that is the future, and outcomes are going to improve based on the investment we’ll be making over the next few years.”
He hopes that as the group makes its way across the country, people will support the cause.
“[Terry] is iconic, but it’s unbelievable how time has not faded the way people respond to this story. It could be last week that Terry was running the way people react to that, and I think that’s because I’m not alone.”
More information about Darrell and the National Ride of Hope can be found here.
