St. John's to mark Marathon of Hope anniversary

Canadian icon Terry Fox's familywill be in St. John's on Monday to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Marathon of Hope.

In 1980 Fox, who'd lost a leg to bone cancer, planned to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research.

The 21-year-oldbegan the trek April 12 of that year by dipping his artificial leg in theharbour ofSt. John's.

Fox's run ended after 143 days and 5,373 kilometres, cut short by breathing problems and chest pains that turned out to be lung cancer. He died on June 28, 1981.

HisMarathon of Hope had raised more than $24 million by then, and he had becomethe youngest person ever awarded the Order of Canada. On the 25th anniversary of his marathon in 2005, runs were held across Canada and more than 1,000 were held in other countries; $36 million was raised worldwide.

On Monday, there will be a commemorative event at the Terry Fox Memorial on theSt. John'swaterfront and the Terry Fox Research Institute will announce the launch of a new Atlantic Canada division.

Details of the new research institute will be announced Monday afternoon.

A public forum on cancer research is scheduled for Monday night in St. John's and cancer specialists from across Atlantic Canada are expected to attend.