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sUMMer 2016 45 SFU.CA T err y Fo x – one oF SFU'S gre aT e S T leg a c ie S 1981 SFU eSTABLISheS The TeRRy Fox GoLd MedAL AwARd In 1981, shortly before his passing, SFU awarded Fox the first annual Terry Fox Gold Medal. Each year since then, the award has gone to a student showing courage in the face of adversity, as exemplified by Fox. The prestigious award bestows three terms' free tuition at the university, plus $1,000 cash, a gold medal and a plaque. A complete list of past recipients may be viewed online at sfu.ca/terryfox/ gold-medal-award.html 2001 A LARGeR- ThAN-LIFe BRoNZe STATUe oF Fox IS UNveILed By hIS pAReNTS, BeTTy ANd RoLLy Fox, oN The SFU BURNABy cAMpUS Roberts Creek-based sculptor Stephen Harman (son of the late sculptor Jack Harman) was asked by SFU to create a statue of Fox. After Harman and his associates developed a design that was approved by the Fox family and the university, moulds were made and 375 kilograms of bronze were poured to create the three-metre figure. Harman says the photograph upon which the statue is based—taken when Fox was setting out at dawn— showed a less familiar side of the runner. "There was a fresh, determined look about him that really stood out from all of the typical shots," he says. "It's a tribute not only to a national hero, but to the fact that he was also an SFU student." 2012 TeRRy'S cAUSe oN cAMpUS SFU and the Terry Fox Founda- tion create Terry's CAUSE on Campus (CAUSE stands for College And University Student Engagement), which challenges university students to carry on Fox's legacy and raise money for cancer research at campuses across Canada. 2014 SFU ReTIReS Fox'S STUdeNT- AThLeTe NUMBeR SFU honours the memory of Fox by raising a banner on the West Gym rafters display- ing his name and the number 4, which he wore as a student athlete on the Clan junior varsity basketball team. During the unveiling ceremony, Fox's original jersey is presented to the Fox family (represented by Terry's brother, Fred) and displayed in the Terry Fox Collection, an exhibit chronicling his legacy. 2015 Fox TopS LIST oF SFU cLAN MoMeNTS SFU celebrates its 50th anni- versary by counting down "50 Incredible Moments in Clan History. "Topping the list is the courage and spirit of Fox. The video is available on YouTube. 2016 ALMoST FoUR decAdeS LATeR "Terry's courage, determina- tion and selflessness continue to inspire us all," says Dr. Tim Rahilly, associate vice- president, students, Simon Fraser University. Held annually in late September, SFU's Terry Fox Day is an opportunity for current students—Canada's future leaders and researchers— to come together for a great cause and at the same time pay tribute to one of the country's greatest heroes. ■ P erhaps no SFU alumnus embodies the spirit of trail- blazing and change-making as much as Terry Fox. Born in 1958, the basketball player and distance runner from Port Coquitlam was a first-year kinesiology student at SFU when, in 1977, he lost one of his legs to cancer. Three years later, at age 22 and with his cancer in remission, Fox capitalized on his athletic abilities in a quest to help cure the disease. He set out on a cross-Canada run, dubbed the Marathon of Hope, to raise one dollar per Canadian for cancer research. Fox first flew to Newfoundland, where he dipped his artificial leg into the Atlantic Ocean before starting a gruelling journey that was meant to see the run completed with an equivalent dip in the Pacific Ocean. Throughout 143 days and almost 5,400 kilo- metres (he ran an astounding 26 miles per day), Fox inspired Canadians to run along- side him, both day and night. But his cancer returned later that year, and he was forced to cut his run short in Thunder Bay, Ontario. He passed away in June 1981, but his spirit, perseverance and strength live on. Since 1981, Terry Fox Runs have taken place every year across Canada and in 60 countries around the globe—the world's largest one-day fundraiser for cancer research (which, to date, has brought in close to $700 million). Fox's audacious goal has inspired countless followers to attempt their own feats of endurance and strength to raise money for cancer research. Meanwhile, the Terry Fox Foundation is exploring new ways to involve SFU alumni in establishing and maintaining annual runs in even more countries.

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