Terry Fox books set for release 40 years after Marathon of Hope

Penguin Random House Canada has teamed up with Terry Fox‘s family to produce a pair of books in honour of the 40th anniversary of the Marathon of Hope. The first, Terry Fox and Me, is a children’s book told from the perspective of Doug Alward, Fox’s best friend. The second, titled Forever Terry: A Legacy in Letters, features 40 letters from 40 Canadians, including Malindi Elmore and Perdita Felicien, about the different ways Fox inspired them and his lasting impact. Terry Fox and Me is available now and Forever Terry will be released September 1. 

The wait is over! The children's book, Terry Fox and Me, is available now. @PenguinCanada will donate a portion of the proceeds, as well as 2,500 copies for distribution to schools across the country. #ThanksPenguin
Learn More: https://t.co/Rd2bWKDF9F pic.twitter.com/hvpZVcU8AS

— TerryFoxFoundation (@TerryFoxCanada) August 4, 2020

Terry Fox and Me

Terry Fox and Me was published by Tundra Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada, written by Mary Beth Leatherdale and illustrated by Milan Pavlović. It tells Fox’s story the way Alward saw it, standing by his best friend through Fox’s cancer diagnosis, leg amputation and Marathon of Hope in 1980. The book includes photos and notes from Alward and Fox’s brother Darrell, and it is a “celebration of friendship and, ultimately, Terry’s message of hope and determination.” 

RELATED: Supporting the Terry Fox Foundation through virtual challenges

Forever Terry

Forever Terry will be published by Viking Canada, another Penguin imprint. In addition to Felicien, a world champion hurdler and Olympian, and Elmore, the Canadian marathon record-holder, 38 other iconic Canadians contributed to the book, including Wayne Gretzky and Margaret Atwood. The full list of contributors can be found here.

40 Days to the 2020 Virtual Terry Fox Run Day.
Think about what Terry Fox accomplished in one day: Running 26 miles. Shaking 500 hands. Inspiring millions. Now think about what you could accomplish with 40.
Register and fundraise today: https://t.co/63Uj3fdyTI pic.twitter.com/AIOJJhNxu5

— TerryFoxFoundation (@TerryFoxCanada) August 11, 2020

Former NHL star and Stanley Cup Champion Bobby Orr also wrote a letter for the book. Orr writes, “We tend to overuse the word ‘hero’ these days, especially as it relates to sports figures. But the fact that we still honour the memory of this great Canadian four decades later is a testament to the fact that he is someone truly worthy of the title hero.” He goes on to talk about time he spent with Fox, and he writes about the massive success of the Terry Fox Foundation and Run over the past 40 years.

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“Perhaps even greater than the dollars and cents [raised by the Terry Fox Foundation], Terry Fox has always represented something fundamentally important for Canadians,” Orr says. “Terry represents hope.” Forever Terry was edited by Fox’s brother Darrell, and is “a testament to the influence Terry Fox has had on the shape of Canadian dreams, ambitions and commitment to helping others.” 

Coming Sept. 1, Forever Terry: A Legacy in Letters, is a testament to the influence Terry has had on the shape of Canadian dreams, through 40 letters written to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Marathon of Hope. Pre-order from @chaptersindigo now at https://t.co/nvALtzCfs5 pic.twitter.com/Wc4UM0148T

— TerryFoxFoundation (@TerryFoxCanada) June 23, 2020

Helping the Terry Fox Foundation

All proceeds from Forever Terry will be donated to the Terry Fox Foundation, along with a portion of the proceeds from Terry Fox and Me. Penguin Random House Canada has also donated 2,500 copies of the children’s book to schools across the country. To learn more about the two books, visit the Terry Fox Foundation website. 

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