2006 Dubai Terry Fox Run scheduled for January 27th

Notes and media contacts

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Notes to Editor:The Dubai Terry Fox Run is modelled after an annual event which was initiated in Canada, to commemorate the heroism of Terry Fox, a Canadian hero. An active teenager involved in many sports, Terry was only 18 years old when he was diagnosed with bone cancer and forced to have his right leg amputated six inches above the knee in 1977. The night before his operation, he read an article about an amputee who had competed in the New York Marathon and moved by the story and the intense suffering of cancer patients, he attempted to run across Canada on his artificial leg. Terry called this quest the Marathon of Hope and his mission was to raise money and awareness for cancer research. He started his journey on April 12, 1980 in St. John's, and ran 43 kilometres each day as he headed towards Vancouver. Sadly, on September 1, after 143 days and 5,373 kilometres, Terry was forced to stop outside of Thunder Bay, Ontario because the cancer had reappeared in his lungs. He died on June 28, 1981 at the age of 22 but although the heroic Canadian was gone, his legacy was just beginning. Since his death, runs have been held every year in a range of countries, to commemorate Terry's heroism and contribute towards his goal of finding a cure for cancer. Today, the Terry Fox run is an international event and in 2004, millions of people participate in runs hosted in several countries. It is truly inspiring that the heroic self-sacrifice of one young man acting alone, serves as a clarion call to people the world over. Nearly all the money raised is remitted to Institutions accredited by The International Union Against Cancer in Geneva.

For more information, please contact:
David Baker
Tel: +971 50 650 3459

Ara Sahakian
Chairperson