For 143 days and 5,373 kilometres stretching from St. John’s, Newfoundland, to Thunder Bay, Ontario, Terry Fox and his Marathon Of Hope captured the hearts of Canadians in 1980.
In celebration of Canada 150 celebrations, the Royal BC Museum will showcase a collection dedicated to Fox.
“During the Marathon of Hope and the months that followed, Canadians filled our home in Port Coquitlam, B.C., with scrapbooks, letters and gifts,” said Darrell Fox’s brother. “We’re honoured to share some of our collection and to help tell this important story.”
Developed in partnership with the Canadian Museum of History and Terry Fox’s family, the exhibition begins with the impact of Terry Fox on modern Canadian life—the numerous schools, community centres, and features of the landscape named for him, the Canadian coins, stamps, and passports bearing his image. The exhibition starts by posing a question: “Who was Terry Fox?” The rest of the exhibition is the answer.
The story of the “Marathon of Hope” is told through maps and a wealth of contemporary photographs and newspaper images. The exhibition includes sections showing a day-in-the-life of the run, Fox’s “Marathon of Hope” T-shirts, cards and letters sent by Canadians, the heart-breaking end of the Marathon, and the thrilling story of Terry Fox’s ongoing legacy.
Visitors will also be greeted by an iconic Ford E250 Econoline van that provided shelter for Terry while he was inspiring the nation on his marathon. This will be the only opportunity for Canadians to see the van as part of the exhibition, apart from its original display at the Canadian Museum of History.
The Terry Fox family have raised close to $700 million for cancer research in Terry’s name.
For more information visit www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca