Office of the Premier
Premier Christy Clark joined approximately 1,500 participants, including members of the Canadian business community, for the Terry Fox Run in Hong Kong as part of her trade mission to China.
The legacy of Terry Fox and his inspirational story continue to motivate people all over the world, bringing them together in more than 32 countries to participate in the annual Terry Fox Run to raise money for cancer research.
“Cancer knows no national or ethnic differences. Around the world, people are touched by it in some way and understand its impacts,” said Premier Clark. “British Columbians take a special pride in Terry Fox – he has become a global symbol of courage, determination and hope in the fight against cancer. It is an honour to participate in the Terry Fox Run in Hong Kong, which has one of the largest Canadian communities abroad, to support Terry’s legacy, and take another step toward winning this battle forever.”
“We are thrilled that this year’s Terry Fox Run in Hong Kong was attended by Premier Clark as well as Terry’s fellow Canadians; including over 150 of Terry’s fellow SFU Alumni,” said Judith Fox, international director of The Terry Fox Foundation. “Thirty-five years ago, Terry said, ‘even if I don’t finish, we need others to continue, it’s got to keep going without me.’ This event is proof that Terry’s enduring legacy is measured not in the miles he travelled, but by the impact he continues to have on millions of people around the world. The spirit of Terry Fox lives within the hearts of all those who have participated in, donated to, supported or volunteered at a Terry Fox event. The Terry Fox Foundation is eternally grateful to all of the committee members, supporters, volunteers and participants in Hong Kong.”
(flickr.com) The first Terry Fox Run took place in 1981 at more than 760 sites in Canada and around the globe. Today, the run takes place in more than 9,000 communities in Canada and 25 countries.
This trade mission is the Premier’s third to China, and included stops in Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, in addition to Hong Kong. A key focus of the trade mission is to highlight the significant benefits of cultural exchange between British Columbia and China and to mark the 20th anniversary of the sister-province agreement between B.C. and Guangdong.
Quick Facts:
- Fox was a first-year kinesiology student at Simon Fraser University (SFU) in Burnaby and a member of the SFU junior varsity basketball team when he was diagnosed with bone cancer in 1977.
- Beginning in April 1980, Fox ran for 143 days and 5,373 kilometres from St. John’s, Newfoundland, to Thunder Bay, Ontario, to raise money for cancer research.
- When Fox began his Marathon of Hope in 1980, his goal was to raise $1 from every Canadian to fight cancer. Today, more than $700 million has been raised in his name in Canada and around the globe for cancer research.
- On Nov. 24, 2014, B.C. legislated the second Sunday after Labour Day as Terry Fox Day in British Columbia. This is also the date of the annual cross-Canada Terry Fox Run commemorating Fox’s Marathon of Hope.
Learn More:
For more information on Terry Fox and The Terry Fox Foundation, visit: www.terryfox.org.
Check out the latest news on the Premier’s trade mission to China here: https://news.gov.bc.ca/stories/trade-mission-to-china
Learn more about B.C. Trade and Investment opportunities: www.britishcolumbia.ca
