August 4, 2025, marks Terry Fox Day in Manitoba—an official civic holiday that honors a local hero whose impact on cancer research continues to shape Canadian science. Born in Winnipeg and raised in British Columbia, Terry Fox remains a symbol of courage, determination, and the power of one individual to ignite lasting change.
But beyond the memory of his 1980 Marathon of Hope lies a legacy deeply rooted in research—and in the future of precision medicine.
From a Marathon to a National Research Movement
Terry Fox was just 22 when his cancer returned and forced him to stop running after covering over 5,300 kilometres across Canada. But his mission didn’t stop. His dream—to find a cure for cancer—continues through the work of the Terry Fox Research Institute (TFRI) and its flagship program, the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network (MOHCCN).
Manitoba’s Role in the National Cancer Research Ecosystem
Manitoba plays a critical part in Terry Fox’s enduring legacy.
The province is home to the Manitoba Onco‑Multiomics Initiative (MOMi), one of the MOHCCN’s key regional research projects. Led by researchers in Manitoba, MOMi brings together genomics, clinical data, and molecular analysis to better understand aggressive tumors. The goal? To tailor treatment with greater precision, identify new drug targets, and contribute to a national data network that’s redefining how Canada tackles cancer.
Through MOMi, Manitoba researchers are collaborating with counterparts across Canada to pool resources, standardize protocols, and analyze tumors at unprecedented molecular detail. This collaborative science is helping position Manitoba as a hub for next-generation cancer discovery.
Investing in People, Powering Progress
TFRI’s New Investigator Awards and Program Project Grants continue to fund early-career researchers and multidisciplinary teams across Canada, including in Manitoba. These programs nurture talent, expand training opportunities, and ensure the research momentum Terry Fox inspired will continue through future generations of scientists.
Research Manitoba’s Commitment
At Research Manitoba, we recognize that research isn’t just about science—it’s about people. Our commitment to cancer research aligns deeply with the principles that Terry Fox stood for: equity, access, and the belief that discovery should improve lives.
Through provincial funding, research partnerships, and support for Manitoba-based investigators, we continue to drive excellence in cancer science. We also champion Manitoba’s inclusion in national research networks, ensuring that our province is both contributing to and benefiting from pan-Canadian collaboration.
Honouring Terry Fox by Advancing Science
Terry believed that even the hardest road was worth running if it meant saving lives. Today, we honour him not only with monuments or memorials—but by continuing the work he began. Every clinical trial, every scientific breakthrough, and every dataset shared among cancer centres across the country is a step forward on the road Terry started.
On Terry Fox Day 2025, we invite Manitobans to reflect on what research can achieve—and to celebrate how one individual’s legacy has transformed cancer care in Canada.
Terrance Stanley Fox (July 28, 1958 – June 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 cancer research. The annual Terry Fox Run, first held in 1981, has grown to involve millions of participants in over 60 countries and is the world’s largest one-day fundraiser for cancer research; over C$900 million has been raised in his name through the Terry Fox Research Institute as of September 2024