Google Doodle honours Terry Fox, on anniversary of first run

Terry Fox was honoured with a Google Doodle on Sunday to commemorate the anniversary of the first cross-Canada event held in his honour.

“The first Terry Fox Run, held on this day in 1981, united 300,000 people across Canada to walk, run or cycle in Terry’s memory, and raised $3.5 million for cancer research,” a statement released by Google alongside the doodle reads.

“Thank you, Terry, for every step you took towards the cancer-free world you bravely envisioned.”

The illustration, which was featured on the search engine’s homepage in Canada was done by Toronto-based artist Lynn Scurfield.

The drawing depicts Fox running under a sunny sky with clouds spelling “Google” in the background.

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At age 18, Fox was diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma, a form of bone cancer. The disease forced the amputation of his right leg.

Two years later, Fox began training for the Marathon of Hope, a cross-Canada run to raise money and awareness for cancer research.

While training, Fox ran more than 5,000 kilometres.

4:28 Abbotsford teenager doing Pedal of Hope with Terry Fox’s brother

Fox — originally from Winnipeg Manitoba — embarked on the Marathon of Hope 40 years ago in April of 1980.

He began the journey in St. John’s, N.L.

In just four months, he ran a total of 5,373 kilometres, across six of Canada’s provinces.

However, during the Marathon of Hope, Fox’s cancer returned, this time in his lungs.

He was ultimately forced to stop running near Thunder Bay, Ont., and was taken to B.C. for treatment.

Fox died in 1981 in B.C., just a month before his 23rd birthday.

But a few months before he died, his goal of raising one dollar for every Canadian — $24 million at the time — for cancer research was achieved.

6:34 Celebrating 40 Years of Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope

Now, events are held across the country in Fox’s name each year.

In April 2020, the Terry Fox Foundation announced more than $800 million had been raised for cancer research in his name.

This year a virtual Terry Fox Run is scheduled to take place on Sept. 20, amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.

According to the foundation’s website, the event has already raised more than $2 million.