Terry Fox
I've said to people before that I'm going to do my very best to make it, and I'm not going to give up. And that's true. But I might not make it. And if I don't make it, the Marathon of Hope better continue.Collection: Hope
I just wish people would realize that anything's possible if you try; dreams are made possible if you try.Collection: Dreams
Even if I don't finish, we need others to continue. It's got to keep going without me.
I do have a belief in God, and no matter what happens to me, things are gonna be OK. It doesn't matter whether the tumours have spread or not, because either way, I'm gonna turn out a winner.
I have a saddened and weakening attitude toward the media and press.
The Cancer Society here in Nova Scotia is doing nothing, and money is being wasted. I would love to get my hands on the people in Halifax.
One thing hurts me. I keep hearing 'Terry Fox.' I'm not doing the run to become rich or famous... To me, being famous is not the idea of the run. The only important part is that cancer can be beaten.
I bet some of you feel sorry for me. Well don't. Having an artificial leg has its advantages. I've broken my right knee many times and it doesn't hurt a bit.
If I ran to a doctor every time I got a little cyst or abrasion, I'd still be in Nova Scotia.
Who would have thought it would be possible to run across Canada on one leg, eh? I wanted to try the impossible and show that it could be done.
Even though I'm not running anymore, we still have to try to find a cure for cancer. Other people should go ahead and try to do their own thing now.
I don't feel that this is unfair. That's the thing about cancer. I'm not the only one; it happens all the time to people. I'm not special.
It was really beautiful. The mayors of Glovertown and Gambo introduced me, and then I talked to the crowd. In fifteen minutes, we raised more than $700 in a town with less than 3,000 people. It was a fantastic feeling and a day I will never forget because I hope it is a start of things to come.
Maybe now, instead of being afraid and saying, 'Look how hard Terry tried, and he still got cancer,' instead people will say, 'Look at the effort he put in, and he died of cancer. We're really going to have to try hard in order to beat it - harder than we ever have before.'
It almost hurts me to walk down a road and have people grab my hand and ask for my autograph and not sit and talk. When I'm finished I'm not going to be on the front page, but I'm going to be just as happy without the publicity.
Our privacy is starting to be invaded and we can't get anything done. I'm happy with the fundraising but upset we don't have time to talk and meet with people.
One Roman Catholic School I will never forget. They sang a song to receive me. Part of the words were, 'Thank you, Lord, for giving us Terry.' It was beautiful; it really brought tears to my eyes.
Twenty-six miles is now my daily minimum.
I am tired and weary because people are continually forcing me off the road. I was actually honked off once.
If they are not positive about the run, I won't talk to them. I'm not here to play games with the media.
The only thing I want to sponsor is cancer, and cancer can be beaten. Not any other product. And I hope nobody tries to use me, because I won't let them.
If there's a pro-Canadian, or someone who's a real proud Canadian, I am. Nobody in Canada would want a united Canada more than me.
There might have been a thousand people who had a better athletic feat than what I did. So for me, just the fact that they gave Canadian Athlete of the Year - and also, I was voted third in the Male Athlete of the Year - the fact that some people did consider what I did an athletic feat, that really makes me feel good.
I loved it. I enjoyed myself so much, and that was what other people couldn't realize. They thought I was going through a nightmare running all day long.
When I started this run, I said that if we all gave one dollar, we'd have $22 million for cancer research, and I don't care, man, there's no reason that isn't possible. No reason!
Even if I don't finish, we need others to continue. It's got to keep going.Collection: Needs
I want to try the impossible to show that it can be done.Collection: Trying
It took cancer to realize that being self-centered is not the way to live. The answer is to try and help others.Collection: Cancer
I want to set an example that will never be forgotten.Collection: Example
I guess that one of the most important things I've learned is that nothing is ever completely bad. Even cancer. It has made me a better person. It has given me courage and a sense of purpose I never had before. But you don't have to do like I did...wait until you lose a leg or get some awful disease, before you take the time to find out what kind of stuff you're really made of. You can start now. Anybody can.Collection: Cancer
Dreams are made possible if you try.Collection: Dream
I'm not a dreamer... but I believe in miracles. I have toCollection: Believe
If you’ve given a dollar, you are part of the Marathon of Hope .Collection: Dollars
I do what I do for the people who believe in me, not for the jerks who don't.Collection: Believe
I know that you can do the impossible.Collection: Impossible
How many people ever get a chance to do something that they really believe in?Collection: Believe
The night before my amputation, my former basketball coach brought me a magazine with an article on an amputee who ran in the New York Marathon. It was then I decided to meet this new challenge head on and not only overcome my disability, but conquer it in such a way that I could never look back and say it disabled me.Collection: Basketball
I don’t feel that this is unfair. That’s the thing about cancer. I’m not the only one, it happens all the time to people. I’m not special. This just intensifies what I did. It gives it more meaning. It’ll inspire more people. I just wish people would realize that anything’s possible if you try; dreams are made possible if you tryCollection: Dream
I remember promising myself that should I live I would prove myself deserving of life.Collection: Remember
It’s one thing to run across Canada, but now, people are really going to know what cancer is.Collection: Running
Somewhere the hurting must stop.Collection: Hurt
When I started this run, I said that if we all gave one dollar, we’d have $22 million for cancer research, and I don’t care man, there’s no reason that isn’t possible. No reason!Collection: Running
I'm not doing the run to become rich or famous.Collection: Running
Everybody seems to have given up hope of trying. I haven't. It isn't easy and it isn't supposed to be, but I'm accomplishing something. How many people give up a lot to do something good. I'm sure we would have found a cure for cancer 20 years ago if we had really triedCollection: Giving Up
I'm not a dreamer, and I'm not saying this will initiate any kind of definitive answer or cure to cancer, but I believe in miracles. I have to.Collection: Cancer
Maybe that’s why I’ve made it as far as I have – 2,521 miles. If I ran to a doctor every time I got a little cyst or abrasion I’d still be in Nova Scotia. Or else I’d never have started. I’ve seen people in so much pain. The little bit of pain I’m going through is nothing. They can’t shut it off, and I can’t shut down every time I feel a little sore.Collection: Pain
It snowed all day long, fortunately it didn't stay on the road. It was very, very cold today. Fortunately, the wind was at my back. The terrain was rolly but not big hills. The first miles were like usual tough, but I felt quite good from there till the end of 10 miles.Collection: Wind
Some people can’t figure out what I’m doing. It’s not a walk-hop, it’s not a trot, it’s running, or as close as I can get to running, and it’s harder than doing it on two legs. It makes me mad when people call this a walk. If I was walking it wouldn’t be anything.Collection: Running