What has he done that contributes to a national identity in Canada? Terry Fox Terry Fox was a cancer research activist, and used his voice to raise awareness of cancer. When he was experiencing months of chemotherapy he saw the pain and suffering others who had been diagnosed with cancer was going through. This became a driving force in Fox's mission to help. Dick Traum, an amputee that ran the New York City Marathon, had inspired Fox with an idea. What if he would run across Canada on his own feet, to raise awareness and funds for cancer research? In April 1980, Terry Fox's Marathon of Hope initiated. More than 5,000 km were logged on his training runs. He also gained the support of a multitude of companies and organizations: the Canadian Cancer Society, War Amputations of Canada, Ford Motor Company, Imperial Oil, and Adidas. On average, Fox was set on running about 42 km per day. Terry Fox contributes to a national identity in Canada because his actions are what