From ordinary to extraordinary
Hope by Terry Fox
by Barbara Adhiya (ed.)
Toronto: ECW Press, 2024
$30 / 9781770416819
Reviewed by Valerie Green
*
Like many people across the world, including Barbara Adhiya, the editor of Terry Fox’s book Hope, I only knew Terry as the courageous young man who tried to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. The emotional image of him walking every day with only one leg and a prosthetic device is imprinted on my mind to this day. After having read this poignant book, I know so much more about him and I’ve come to appreciate what he did, not only for cancer research, but for so many people he met along his journey.
Adhiya tells us that Terry was an ordinary teenager, an athlete who dreamt of one day becoming a teacher and sports coach. He also faced many challenges as a child such as being short. He never let those things bother him. But at age eighteen, his world turned upside down as he faced the biggest challenge of his life. He was diagnosed with osteosarcoma and would have to have his leg amputated, after which he would need aggressive chemotherapy treatment for the next year with only a thirty percent chance of surviving.
Terry’s dream for his future was shattered in an instant “but he decided not to focus on what he had lost —he was going to focus on all he had to gain. Instead of despair, Terry chose hope.”
The stories from the people he met on his journey are both emotional and enlightening. They are interspersed with Terry’s own journal excerpts in the book and many illustrations, but the excerpts don’t really tell us much about Terry’s thoughts as he struggled in pain every day to complete his dream. He never complained. It is the stories from others he met and inspired along the way who allow us a peak into Terry’s true character and what his many achievements truly were. Adhiya has concluded in her introduction with Terry’s own words: “Anything is possible if you try.”
Adhiya interviewed many of these people and has allowed them to speak in their own words telling of their experiences with Terry along his journey.
She begins with his brother, Fred Fox, who told her about the early years growing up in the Fox family. He also explains how the family disliked all the media attention on Terry, but Terry knew it was necessary to get his message of hope across to the public.
The book shares the stories of the nurse (Judith Ray) who took care of Terry during the time of his leg amputation and the intense chemotherapy that followed but then she was out of the country pursuing her nursing career in Papua, New Guinea, by the time his run took place which she only saw on television. But she learnt so much from Terry. “Terry was Joe Average in every way in terms of his expertise, and he did things in spades,” said Ray. “And so can everyone else. You are of value in terms of being a part of the world that you’re involved in. You don’t have to be doing it internationally; you can do it in your own little corner and make a real impact on even one person. And that’s huge.”
Adhiya also interviewed Sharon Helpard, the mother of Greg Scott, a young boy who bonded with Terry. Greg was ten years old when he developed the same bone cancer as Terry, and he too had his leg amputated. Despite their age differences, the two became fast friends and developed a special bond of understanding.
Alison Sinson Ince was an end-of-life nurse and Fox Family liaison at the Royal Columbian Hospital. Together with the hospital staff, Alison had watched Terry’s Marathon of Hope. Despite his amputation and the intense chemotherapy that had followed, she like everyone else believed “if anyone could do it, it would be him.”Terry had inspired so many people to simply “hope.”
Throughout the following seven sections of the book—The Company you Keep, Coaches and Mentors, Community, Hard Work and Discipline, Support, Inspiration, and Selflessness & Service— more stories are shared from doctors; childhood friends; neighbors; friends; Terry’s sister (Judith Fox); many volunteers for the Marathon of Hope; a high school teacher; a cross country and track-and-field coach; a basketball coach; Dick Traum (first runner with a prosthetic leg to complete a marathon and founder of Achilles International); a prosthetist; Rick Hansen; Peter Colistro (a wheelchair athlete); Darryl Sittler, Hockey Hall of Fame inductee; a friend at Simon Fraser University: Doug Alward, Terry’s best friend who drove the van during the Marathon; two cyclists who rode from Toronto to Ottawa to raise money for Terry’s Marathon of Hope; pen pal Donna Ball; author Bill Vigars; a Toronto Star reporter (Leslie Scrivener); a Canadian Cancer Society volunteer; a town councillor; the bakery owners who made Terry’s last birthday cake; Doug Vater, the Fox family spokesman; Lloyd Robinson, National News anchor; a forestry officer and parole officer; the lady who designed the Terry Fox Marathon of Hope t-shirt; professional photographers; founders of the Four Seasons Hotels; former national director of the Terry Fox Foundation and School programs for TFF; ongoing volunteers for the Foundation; a researcher and founder of the Atlantic Cancer Research Institute, and Craig Jarvis, philanthropist and president of the Legacy Art project in Toronto.
All these stories should be consumed with awe by anyone who reads this book. For one ordinary young man to have affected the lives of so many people is nothing short of amazing.
Terry’s own Journal excerpts merely tell us of his journey as a record of where he was:
“April 12, 1980 (Day 1). Today is the day it all begins. I had a police escort out of the city and many people followed in cars. The mayor ran a few steps with me. Along the way everyone was honking and waving….”
“May 14 (Day 34) “Today I got up at 4:30am. I felt better than yesterday….”
“June 6 (Day 56) – 30 miles. “Today it was a beautiful morning. No wind….”
“July 2nd (Day 82) – 20 miles. “Today I met Mr. Trudeau. It was an honour, and he is a very nice man. I needed more repairs on my leg – my stump is 2” wider than my leg.”
Such simple entries about a journey of hope that sadly ended after 143 days and 3,339 miles. Terry’s run is ongoing and has spread to many cities around the world. To date the money raised is well over $850 million.
The true story of Terry shows up in those many interviews Adhiya conducted with people whose lives were changed by simply knowing him.
This courageous young man from British Columbia never considered himself a victim. He was a survivor. He taught everyone he met how to turn tragedy into triumph with one simple word—HOPE. This book shows us all how we can learn from that simple message because it is a message that lives on long after he left us, having fulfilled his dream with determination and humility.
*
Valerie Green was born and educated in England, where she studied journalism and law. Her passion was always for writing from the moment she first held a pen. After working at the world-famous Foyles Books in London (followed by a brief stint with MI5 and legal firms), she moved to Canada in 1968 and embarked on a long career as a freelance writer, columnist, and author of over twenty nonfiction historical and true-crime books. In 2024, Hancock House released Tomorrow, the final volume of The McBride Chronicles (after Providence, Destiny, and Legacy). Now semi-retired (although writers never really retire!), Green enjoys taking short road trips around BC with her husband, watching their two beloved grandsons grow up and, of course, writing. [Editor’s note: Valerie Green has recently reviewed books by Peter Freeman, Collin Varner, Christy K. Lee, Faye Bayko, Joanne Thomson, and Joan Steacy, for The British Columbia Review.]
*
The British Columbia Review
Interim Editors, 2023-26: Trevor Marc Hughes (non-fiction), Brett Josef Grubisic (fiction)
Publisher: Richard Mackie
Formerly The Ormsby Review, The British Columbia Review is an on-line book review and journal service for BC writers and readers. The Advisory Board now consists of Jean Barman, Wade Davis, Robin Fisher, Barry Gough, Hugh Johnston, Kathy Mezei, Patricia Roy, and Graeme Wynn. Provincial Government Patron (since September 2018): Creative BC. Honorary Patron: Yosef Wosk. Scholarly Patron: SFU Graduate Liberal Studies. The British Columbia Review was founded in 2016 by Richard Mackie and Alan Twigg.
“Only connect.” – E.M. Forster