Terry & Me by Bill Vigars, with Ian Harvey

A twenty-two-year-old cancer survivor and amputee, Terry set out from St. John's Newfoundland in April 1980, aiming to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. His first months on the road in Atlantic Canada and Quebec were not only physically taxinghe ran the equivalent of a marathon a daybut frustrating as Canadians were slow to recognize and support his endeavor. That all changed when he met a young man named Bill Vigars, who on behalf of the Canadian Cancer Society led a campaign to ensure that every person in Canada knew the story of this outstanding young man. Vigars was by Fox's side through all the highs and lows until the tragic end of his journey in Thunder Bay. A recurrence of his cancer cut short Terry's dream and, soon, his life. Now, for the first time, Vigars tells the inside story of the Marathon of Hopethe logistical nightmares, boardroom battles, and moments of pure magicwhile giving us a fresh, insightful portrait of one of the greatest Canadians who ever lived.

(From Sutherland House Books)

• 46 works of Canadian nonfiction to read in fall 2023
• That grin, that big heart': Remembering Terry Fox, the Marathon of Hope and one day in Thunder Bay
• The Legacy of Terry Fox's Dream

Bill Vigars was the Director of Public Relations and Fundraising for the Canadian Cancer Society's Ontario Division and a friend and confidante of Terry Fox.