THUNDER BAY -- When Terry Fox ran the Marathon Of Hope across Canada in 1980, he hoped to fundraise a dollar from each Canadian for cancer research.
Thirty-five years later, the annual runs held in Fox's memory have raised the equivalent of $30 for each Canadian.
"In terms of money raised, I think it's $700-million over the 35 years of doing the Terry Fox Run," said Rotarian and run chair Don Morrison.
"You can just imagine the amount of research that has been done with that moeny and how many people's lives have been affected."
Both of Morrison's parents lost their lives to cancer. But there was something greater than the connection many people have to the disease that brought over 500 people out to Boulevard Lake on Sunday. After running a marathon every day on one leg, the Canadian hero ended his run in Thunder Bay on Aug. 31, 1980 and passed away soon after. Morrison said the event impacted almost everyone in the city.
"There are a number of people locally who saw him run those last couple of days -- were there when he finished his run here -- so it will always bee a special spot in Thunder Bay for the Terry Fox Run."
Clint Kushak was among the people Fox's story touched directly. Kushak's two-year-old son had caught his first fish at Loon Lake on the day Fox passed through and when he pulled his car over so he could donate to the cause, the glipse he caught of Fox is what has driven Kushak to volunteer ever since.
"We could see on his face that he was struggling, that he was in pain. It's something we still remember," he said.
"We knew he was hurting because of what he had to do. Running a marathon a day had to be painful but I think the pain was a little extra coming in, that he knew he was hurt. So every chance I have to help out with the run, I do."
That moment, combined with a growing culture of cancer survivors and their families, is becoming inter-generational. Fox's story has come to represent Canadian families in some small and different way.
"I never miss it," Marilyn Ailey said of the Terry Fox Run. "I lost my aunt Vicki to cancer when I was young and she had a big influence on my life. She always taught me to never give up on my dreams and always do the best I could so I do it in memory of her."
Ailey's daughter Brooke explained succinctly why the run has staying power, not just for Terry Fox but for -- and with -- everyone who has lost a loved one to cancer.
"I really like running. I never got to meet Aunt Vicki so it's sort of like I'm running with her."
