For Release - September 24, 2009
Holder To Help Honour Terry Fox
September 24, 2009
– London West Member of
Parliament Ed Holder will represent the Government of Canada at a
special commemoration event in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador
on Friday, September 25, 2009.
“It will be an honour, and quite humbling, to lead a commemoration
ceremony for a true Canadian hero,” said Holder.
“Terry Fox’s family will be in attendance and so will
hundreds of others as we mark the very place the famous
Marathon of Hope began.
The plaque will mark the spot in the Atlantic Ocean where
Terry dipped his foot to mark the start of his iconic run across
Canada.”
On April 12, 1980, Terry Fox dipped his artificial leg into the waters of
the Atlantic Ocean, turned west and began his famous Marathon of
Hope. Just outside
Thunder Bay, 143 days into his run, deteriorating health forced
Terry Fox to suspend his quest.
He had already run 5,373km and was working towards his goal
of raising $1 from every Canadian in support of cancer research.
Terry Fox was never able to resume his cross-country run, but by February
1981 he had achieved his financial goal by raising over $24.17
million. Later that
year, on June 28th, just a month prior to his 23rd
birthday, he passed away, but his legacy lives on.
Each year, in countries around the world, the largest
single-day fundraising event for cancer research takes place in his
honour.
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