Terry Fox and his heroic marathon from ocean to ocean • Russia today Posting in CHAT: Russia It often happens that people who did not plan a feat become heroes. They simply did what they thought was necessary and went to their destination. Canadian Terrence Stanley Fox is just such a tenacious hero. He gave hope to millions of people with dangerous diseases and gave birth to an entire movement to help cancer patients. Unfulfilled dreams Terry Fox was born in Winnipeg, Canada, on July 28, 1958. school, loved football, baseball and rugby. In high school, Terry dreamed of becoming a basketball player, but did not fit in due to his short height. His coach said that this sport was not for him and advised him to take up athletics. The guy started running and he liked it. Terry became so interested in sports that he decided to go to university and become a physical education teacher. But the dream was not destined to come true. In 1977, he felt severe pain in his right leg and consulted a doctor. After examination, Fox was given a terrible diagnosis - sarcoma. The fatal disease affected the knee joint and, in order to save the guy’s life, he had to amputate his leg to the middle of the thigh. After this, Terry had to undergo chemotherapy. Doctors told the patient he had a 50 percent chance of survival. But he decided that this was not bad at all, because just a few years ago, cure occurred in only 15 percent of cases. Despite everything, Terry Fox did not lose heart. Only three weeks after the amputation did he begin to master walking on a prosthesis. Treatment continued even after discharge from the hospital - in total, the Canadian had to endure 16 months of chemotherapy. Fox spent a lot of time at the cancer center, where he saw people suffer and die. He also noted that the effectiveness of the fight against cancer is low due to lack of funding. It occurred to Terry that if every Canadian, of which there were 24 million at the time, gave just $1, it would make a significant difference. But to convince people to donate, you had to get their attention. Then Terry Fox decided to run a marathon, Terry shared his idea with the leaders of the cancer society. But they didn't take it seriously and simply abandoned the project. Fox managed to find sponsors on his own, after which they agreed to cooperate with him. First of all, the guy had to undergo a serious medical examination; the medical commission concluded that he could have exposed himself to stress. The only thing that bothered me was my heart, undermined by chemotherapy. But Terry promised that if he felt something was wrong, he would stop the race immediately. Having received medical approval, the athlete began to develop a plan for the marathon. By starting the marathon, Terry Fox set himself a very serious task, which not every healthy athlete can withstand. He decided to cross the whole of Canada from east to west, from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. The guy started his journey in St. Petersburg. In April 1980, Terry dipped the prosthetic into the waters of the Atlantic and filled two plastic bottles with it. From one he planned to drain the water into the Pacific Ocean, and keep the second as a souvenir. The start was not easy - the weather was rainy and windy. There was no advertising campaign, so there were very few donations. The only thing that spoke about the purpose of the race was the inscription on the athlete’s T-shirt: “Marathon of Hope.” But Terry did not give up, and soon his persistence was rewarded. In the city of Port-aux-Basques, with a population of 10 thousand people, he collected 10 thousand dollars. This inspired the athlete. Terry ran 42 km every day. He constantly faced problems. Drivers on the highway demanded that he leave the road. The language barrier also greatly hindered him - in the French-speaking provinces it was difficult for him to communicate with the local population who did not know English. However, when he reached Montreal, Terry estimated that he had collected 200 thousand dollars. In the city, he met entrepreneur Isidore Sharp, owner of a hotel chain. A man recently lost his son to melanoma. Sharp said he would pay Terry $2 for every mile he walked. In addition, the businessman convinced another 1,000 companies to make a similar contribution. The Unfinished Race Little by little, Terry Fox's fame grew. If no one noticed him at the beginning of his journey, then in Ontario he was already met by a brass band. In Ottawa, the capital of Canada, he was met by the Governor General and the Prime Minister. The amount of donations grew, and this made the marathon runner happy. But not everything was so simple. The longer Fox ran, the more health problems arose. The prosthesis rubbed the stump until it bled, and inflammation began. Terry also had breathing problems. On September 1, 1980, he became so ill that he required hospitalization. The runner was examined, and this time the doctors' conclusion was disappointing. At a press conference, Terry Fox said that his cancer caused complications in his lungs and he was forced to interrupt the marathon. By this time, Terry had run 5373 kilometers, spending 143 days on it. At the same time, donations amounting to $1.7 million were collected. Fox's feat was reported in the media, and soon the amount, as the athlete had planned, reached $24 million. Unfortunately, the hero was unable to overcome the disease. Despite active treatment, his illness progressed and Terry Fox died on June 28, 1981. Monument to Terry Fox in Ottawa. Horse racing named after Terry Fox is still held and not only in Canada. In different countries, people annually run from 5 to 15 km to raise money to fight cancer. Traditionally, events are held without advertising support and only the inscriptions on the athletes’ clothing indicate the goals of the races. The founder of the movement is considered to be Isidore Sharp, who in 1980 helped Terry in his charitable activities. The businessman is now 92 years old and lives in Toronto. Every year, Sharp donates large sums to cancer clinics and foundations. Source link Source link