Terry Fox was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and raised in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, a community near Vancouver on Canada's west coast. An active teenager involved in many sports, Terry was only 18 years old when he was diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma (bone cancer) and forced to have his right leg amputated six inches above the knee in 1977. While in hospital, Terry was so overcome by the suffering of other cancer patients, many of them young children, that he decided to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. He would call his journey the Marathon of Hope. After 18 months and running over 5,000 kilometres (3,107 miles) to prepare, Terry started his run in St. John’s, Newfoundland on April 12, 1980 with little fanfare. Although it was difficult to garner attention in the beginning, enthusiasm soon grew, and the money collected along his route began to mount. He ran 42 kilometres (26 miles) a marathon a day through Canada's Atlantic provinces, Quebec and Ontario. It was a journey that Canadians never forgot. However, on September 1st 1980, after 143 days and 5,373 kilometres (3,339 miles), Terry was forced to stop running outside of Thunder Bay, Ontario because cancer had appeared in his lungs. An entire nation was stunned and saddened. Terry passed away on June 28, 1981 at age 22. The heroic Canadian was gone, but his legacy was just beginning. Before Terry died, he knew that an annual event would be held to commemorate his Marathon of Hope. It would be called, appropriately, The Terry Fox Run. The first Terry Fox Run in 1981 attracted 300,000 participants across Canada and raised $3.5 million. To date, more than $360 million has been raised worldwide for cancer research in Terry's name through the annual Terry Fox Run, held across Canada and around the world. This year the first annual Terry Fox Run will be held in Mazatlan. The Mazatlan Canadian Consul and the Angelo Moderno school have joined together, in holding this event. You can run, walk, jog or bicycle the distance you are most comfortable with. In keeping with the spirit of Terry Fox this is a non-competitive event. All proceeds raised go to the Terry Fox Fondation for cancer research in Guadalajara. The Terry Fox run will take place on Saturday March 12 starting at 8am starting and finishing at the Anglo Moderno School on Lomas Avenue (near VIPs restaurant), and the course runs along the malecon which is Avenida del Mar. The distances to be covered are up to you and can be 500 meters, 1 kilometer, 2.5 km, 5km, or 10km. The registration, which acts as the donation, is 50 pesos for children 12 and under, and 100 pesos for adults. All finishers will receive a diploma outlining their participation in the run. To register in advance simply go to the Canadian Consulate office beside the Playa Mazatlan hotel or the Anglo Moderno School on Lomas Avenue. Should you wish to simply make a donation, be a sponsor, or want more information, please email us at jackandval@hotmail.com or visit the consulate office or the Anglo Moderno School. Please mark your calendars and come and participate in this very worthy cause.