Atop Burnaby Mountain, the ever-expanding UniverCity neighbourhood is home to the national office of a cancer-fighting organization whose name needs no explanation to Canadians.
The Terry Fox Foundation relocated its headquarters from Chilliwack in mid-June, a move deemed necessary by the foundation’s board of directors to be closer to Vancouver in order to attract bigger donors.
Being part of the Simon Fraser University campus was a natural fit for the charity given the Port Coquitlam hero’s connection to the institution, his brother Fred Fox said.
In 1977, Terry Fox was an 18-year-old kinesiology student and a member of the SFU junior varsity basketball team when he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer that resulted in the amputation of his right knee.
Since his death in 1981, SFU has continued to honour Fox’s legacy by supporting the Terry Fox Humanitarian Award (previously administered by Fox’s former coach and friend, the late Lorne Davies); the annual designation of the Terry Fox Gold Medal; and Terry’s Cause on Campus, a fundraiser held at its Burnaby, Surrey and Vancouver campuses.
SFU is also close to the Fox family as it recognized its matriarch, Betty, with an honorary degree for her commitment to cancer research.
Indeed, the foundation’s sunny new digs on University High Street are a step up from its former HQ in Chilliwack. The office is on the ground floor and is the first unit to greet visitors to the award-winning Cornerstone Building. Inside the double-glass doors is a variety of Terry Fox memorabilia: a replica of the blue Adidas shoe he wore on his historic Marathon of Hope in 1980; commemorative stamps; an original painting of the MV Terry Fox; and a copy of Toronto Star reporter Leslie Scrivener’s book on Fox.
Best of all, Fred Fox chuckled, “We have windows,” adding, “I think it’s been a good move for us.”
Although it has raised nearly $700 million in the past 35 years, the Terry Fox Foundation is known for operating on a shoestring. Compared to other Canadian charities, it is considered an industry leader in fundraising accountability, with 16 cents from every dollar raised going to administration and collection donations.
That means 84 cents from every buck collected is spent on cancer research — most of it on the Terry Fox Research Institute (TFRI) that was set up seven years ago. In the last fiscal year, $27 million came into the foundation in Canadian funds, of which 86% went directly to TFRI (Terry’s younger brother, Darrell, is on the institute’s board of directors).
Still, despite its efficiencies, Britt Andersen said the administration costs are too high and he wants to cut them further.
Last November, the Belcarra resident and UBC commerce grad was hired as the foundation’s new executive director to oversee the operations of the seven employees at HQ plus liaise with the nine provincial directors (who are in charge of 850 run sites across Canada — all of which are led by volunteers — and some 8,500 school runs) plus the international division led by Terry’s sister, Judith Fox-Alder, and her daughter, Jessie Alder.
Andersen said his first goal as executive director was to give the organization more clarity and direction. He also wanted to increase the number of online giving opportunities. Now, 70% of the foundation’s contributions come in through the click of a computer mouse, he said.
Andersen is no stranger to bringing in big cash for health-related causes. Previously, he worked as the CEO of the Coast Mental Health Foundation, a group established to raise money for the Coast Foundation Society. He was also the regional manager at Canadian Blood Services.
“‘When I heard about the opportunity to work with the Terry Fox Foundation, I had to jump on it,” Andersen said. “I remember being 13 years old in Golden and the picture of this young man running across Canada captivated me. I will never forget when he had to stop. The image of it still burns in my mind.”
With the 35th annual Terry Fox Run landing in his inaugural year, Andersen said he’s heading to Prince Edward Island with Darrell Fox to run the 13-km Confederation Bridge — a fundraiser that, for the 25th anniversary, saw 14,000 people and raised $375,000.
Fred Fox will be in Gatineau, Que., where the Canadian Museum of History is currently hosting a Terry Fox exhibit, while dad Rolly will be in Terry’s birthplace of Winnipeg and Judith — the youngest of the Fox clan — will be at Stanley Park in Vancouver, where the Marathon of Hope was supposed to end.
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A Métis link – and an honour – for Fox family
Terry Fox may be known as a Canadian icon but did you know he’s also celebrated by the Métis for his outstanding contributions?
The Port Coquitlam hero’s grandmother — Betty Fox’s mother, Mary Ann Wark — was an aboriginal from North Dakota, said Terry Fox’s brother Fred Fox, who has visited her American birthplace.
This past spring, the president of the Métis Nation of B.C. bestowed the Order of the Sash to Darrell Fox, who took part in the Marathon of Hope with Terry Fox in 1980 and helped raise millions of dollars for cancer research.
The posthumous award from Bruce Dumond honours people who have served the Métis Nation and/or Canada.
At a ceremony in Abbotsford, Darrell Fox also received his own sash after he formally established his Métis citizenship.
Fred Fox told The Tri-City News last week the family is proud of its heritage and both he and his sister Judith, who oversees the international division of the Terry Fox Foundation, are now applying for their Métis citizenship.
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FOX RUN DETAILS
The Tri-Cities hosts four Terry Fox runs on Sept. 20 — including in the hero’s hometown of Port Coquitlam:
• Port Coquitlam: Hyde Creek recreation centre, 10 a.m. start;
• Port Moody: Rocky Point Park, 10 a.m. start;
• Coquitlam: Blue Mountain Park, 10 a.m. start;
• Anmore: Spirit Park, 11 a.m. start.
