Betty Lou Fox (née Wark; November 15, 1937 – June 17, 2011) was a Canadian cancer research

activist Activism consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society toward a perceived common good. Forms of activism range from mandate build ...

, the mother of

Terry Fox Terrance Stanley Fox (July 28, 1958June 28, 1981) was a Canadian athlete, humanitarian, and cancer research activist. In 1980, having had one leg amputated due to cancer, he embarked on a cross-Canada run to raise money and awareness for can ...

and founder of the

Terry Fox Foundation The Terry Fox Run is an annual non-competitive charity event held around the world to raise money for cancer research in commemoration of Canadian cancer activist Terry Fox and his Marathon of Hope. The event was founded in 1981 by Isadore Shar ...

. She was the most prominent figure in Terry Fox's legacy.

Biography

Fox was born in

Boissevain, Manitoba Boissevain () is an unincorporated urban community in Manitoba near the North Dakota border that held town status prior to 2015. It is located within the Municipality of Boissevain – Morton. Boissevain is a community of just over 1,500 people a ...

, on November 15, 1937. She was raised in

Melita, Manitoba Melita () is a town located in the south-western corner of the Canadian province of Manitoba. It is surrounded by the Municipality of Two Borders and occupies a bend of the Souris River. Graham Creek runs along the west side of town and in ...

, and in her teens moved to

Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. It is centred on the confluence of the Red River of the North, Red and Assiniboine River, Assiniboine rivers. , Winnipeg h ...

, where she met her husband Rolland "Rolly" Fox, who was working for the

Canadian National Railway The Canadian National Railway Company () is a Canadian Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern and Southern United States. CN is Canada's largest railway, in terms of both revenue a ...

. They married in 1956. The Foxes had four children: sons Fred (born 1957), Terry (1958), and Darrell (1961), and daughter Judith (1965). In 1966 the family moved to

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

, making

Port Coquitlam Port Coquitlam ( ) is a city in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of 21 municipalities comprising Metro Vancouver. Located east of Vancouver, it is on the north bank of the confluence of the Fraser River and the Pitt River. Coquitlam borders ...

their home. In March 1977, Terry was diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma, and his right leg was amputated above the knee.

Marathon of Hope

Terry Fox expressed to his mother his wish to raise awareness and funds for cancer research. He began the Marathon of Hope on April 12, 1980, which was a run across Canada from

St. John's, Newfoundland St. John's is the capital and largest city of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. The city spans and is the easternmost city in North Amer ...

, to

Victoria, British Columbia Victoria is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of British Columbia, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific Ocean, Pacific coast. The city has a population of 91,867, and the Gre ...

, to raise money for cancer research. He reached over 143 days before finding the cancer had spread to his lungs. This forced him to end his run on September 1, 1980, 2/3 of the way across Canada, just before reaching Thunder Bay, ON. Immediately, support to continue his cause came from across the country and overseas. He died on June 28, 1981.

Terry Fox Run and Foundation

With so much public attention on his cause and his death, Betty Fox found no time to grieve as her support for her son continued. She took on the development of the

Terry Fox Run The Terry Fox Run is an annual non-competitive charity event held around the world to raise money for cancer research in commemoration of Canadian cancer activist Terry Fox and his Marathon of Hope. The event was founded in 1981 by Isadore Shar ...

with the

Canadian Cancer Society The Canadian Cancer Society () is Canada's largest national cancer charity and the largest national charitable funder of cancer research in Canada. History The Saskatchewan Medical Association formed Canada's first cancer committee in 1929, whi ...

. In 1988, The Terry Fox Foundation became its own charitable organization. Fox took the lead on many parts of the run and the foundation, ensuring Terry's wishes and goals were reflected in the run's organization. "It is estimated that Betty spoke to more than 400,000 school children alone during her 25 years of touring the country, leaving each and every child with the inspirational story of the Marathon of Hope. The final words of every speech, 'Never, ever give up on your dreams,' have become her hallmark." Fox was selected to be one of the Olympic flag-bearers in the opening ceremonies of the

Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXI Olympic Winter Games () and also known as Vancouver 2010 (), were an international winter multi-sport event held from February 12 to 28, 2010 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with ...

. One month later on March 12, 2010, Fox and her husband Rolly carried the Paralympic Torch into the opening ceremonies of the

2010 Paralympic Games The 2010 Winter Paralympics (), or the tenth Paralympic Winter Games, were held in Vancouver and Whistler, British Columbia, Canada, from March 12 to 21, 2010. The opening ceremony took place in BC Place Stadium in Vancouver and the Closing ...

, after a whole segment of those ceremonies were dedicated to their son Terry.

Death

Fox died June 17, 2011, due to complications from

diabetes Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is a group of common endocrine diseases characterized by sustained high blood sugar levels. Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not producing enough of the hormone insulin, or the cells of th ...

and

arthritis Arthritis is a general medical term used to describe a disorder that affects joints. Symptoms generally include joint pain and stiffness. Other symptoms may include redness, warmth, Joint effusion, swelling, and decreased range of motion of ...

. She was survived by her husband, three children, and nine grandchildren. Her memorial was held in Port Coquitlam, at the same church where Terry's memorial was held 30 years previously, almost to the day. It was attended by dignitaries including former Vancouver 2010 Olympic Committee CEO John Furlong and British Columbia Premier

Christy Clark Christina Joan Clark (born October 29, 1965) is a Canadian politician who served as the 35th premier of British Columbia from 2011 to 2017. Clark was the second woman to be premier of BC, after Rita Johnston in 1991, and the first female premi ...

, among others. So many turned out for the funeral that the city opened the civic recreation centre to the public, where the memorial was broadcast live. Her death made headlines across North America. Her husband Rolland died of

lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma, is a malignant tumor that begins in the lung. Lung cancer is caused by genetic damage to the DNA of cells in the airways, often caused by cigarette smoking or inhaling damaging chemicals. Damaged ...

on March 9, 2016.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fox, Betty 1937 births 2011 deaths Canadian people of Métis descent Canadian women activists Deaths from diabetes in Canada People from Boissevain, Manitoba People from Chilliwack People from Port Coquitlam Activists from Winnipeg Terry Fox