The hero behind the hero in Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope

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Terry Fox began his journey more than 44 years ago – a run into eternity that every Canadian knows as the Marathon of Hope.

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The physical run lasted 143 days and covered 5,280 kms, but in many ways the Marathon of Hope never ended. It endures largely because of the unlikely meeting of two Canadian heroes.

One of those heroes, Terry Fox, is now a permanent part of the Canadian narrative. The other is a Canadian businessman whose role in the saga of a courageous and determined young man has, to his credit, not garnered much attention.

We all know the Terry Fox story. He was diagnosed with bone cancer when he was eighteen. His right leg was amputated above the knee. During his time in hospital he witnessed the suffering of cancer patients, many of them young children. He decided to do what he could to end that suffering

A scant two years after his surgery, Terry Fox dipped his artificial limb in the Atlantic Ocean on April 12, 1980, and began his now eternal run. His goal was to run across Canada and raise $24 million for cancer research – a dollar from every Canadian.

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When Fox began the run he was largely ignored. His intention to run a marathon a day, every day, until he reached Vancouver was simply too big to comprehend. And so, day after day, he ran alone until Canadians began to wake to his extraordinary and historic effort.

Many of us can still remember the early news reports about the Marathon of Hope. A lean, curly-haired young man awkwardly running along in the early morning mist. The sound of a leg and an artificial limb striking the pavement, bump-thump, bump-thump, bump-thump. It looked like an impossible mission, and yet …

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Bump-thump. Bump-thump. Bump-thump.

Fox made his way into Quebec. His extraordinary commitment was putting miles behind him, but miles alone couldn’t raise money. That’s where our second hero, Issy Sharp, comes in.

Sharp is the founder of the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and a legendary Canadian businessman. His business success and philanthropy have earned him numerous awards and honours. But few Canadians know his role in the Marathon of Hope.

Sharp was one of the first corporate funders of the Marathon of Hope. Long before Terry Fox captured the imagination of Canadians, Sharp was there. He wrote personal letters to 999 corporations asking them to support Fox.

That early and enthusiastic support is worthy of praise, but Sharp’s role had just begun.

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Bump-thump. Bump-thump. Bump-thump. A marathon a day, every day.

Terry Fox ran through Ontario and into the hearts of Canadians.

Cancer ended Terry Fox’s running on Sept. 1 in Thunder Bay. But cancer couldn’t end the Marathon of Hope.

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Fox was returned to Vancouver and hospitalized. Sharp sent a telegram to the Fox family promising to carry on the Marathon of Hope with an annual run. Terry Fox pinned that telegram to his hospital bed.

Sharp was as good as his word.

Terry Fox died on June 28, 1981. But thanks to Issy Sharp, Terry Fox is still running.

Sharp not only founded the Terry Fox Run in Canada, he took the challenge around the world, to cities where his hotels operate. Now, every September, Terry Fox Runs are held in over 50 countries.

The total amount raised for cancer research in the name of Terry Fox now stands at more than $850 million.

I don’t know Issy Sharp. A proud Four Seasons employee told me about his remarkable connection to the Terry Fox Run. I think the guy is a hero.

(This column by John Snobelen originally ran in the Toronto Sun on April 18, 2010)

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