Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff made the following statement on the 30th anniversary on the day when Terry Fox had to stop running his Marathon of Hope:
“Thirty years ago today, outside of Thunder Bay, Terry Fox was forced to cut short his Marathon of Hope, a journey that had begun five months earlier in St. John’s, Newfoundland. This moment remains seared in our collective Canadian memory, alongside Terry Fox’s determination to make a difference in the lives of Canadians living with cancer.
“Against all odds, the 21-year-old from Port Coquitlam was determined to run across Canada to raise $1 million for cancer research and provide hope for those battling cancer. Although Terry didn’t get to complete his marathon, by the following year he had raised $23 million and had become an inspiration to the world.
“Terry Fox is a true Canadian hero. He dared to dream big, he persisted in the face of great adversity, and he fought for his dream until the very end. The impact he had on generations of Canadians is profound, and to this day, school children across the country are told his story and marvel at his courage.
“This month, as thousands of Canadians participate in the annual Terry Fox Run, we are reminded of the devastation that cancer continues to have on our lives. An estimated 173,800 new cases of cancer and 76,200 deaths will occur in Canada in 2010. As we reflect upon Terry’s heroic journey, we cannot give up the fight against this ravaging disease.
“On behalf of the Liberal Party of Canada and our caucus in Parliament, I applaud all Canadians who are carrying on Terry Fox’s legacy, and my thoughts go to all whose lives have been touched by cancer.”
