Everybody has a dream.  In 1980, Terry Fox wanted to raise $1 from every Canadian for cancer research.  But in 1976, when he graduated from Port Coquitlam Secondary School, Terry's dream was to be a member of  the SFU Varsity Basketball team. 

Terry was a walk on.  He just showed up, he wasn't an invited scholarship athelete.  He wasn't a gifted athelete.  He was a determined athelete.  And that is how he was named Port Coquitlam athelete of the year, playing soccer and basketball for high school.

In 1993, I became a Terry's Team member - cancer survivors who are living testament that cancer research makes a difference.  Terry's youngest brother Darrell challenged me to start a Terry Fox Run that September at SFU.  I got to know the SFU Atheletic Director, and the very first SFU Terry Fox Day was planned for the following year in 1994.  Along the way I met Stan Stewardson, Terry's former SFU basketball coach. 

Stan showed me Terry's jersey that he had saved.  And I told him that for 1994, Terry's SFU jersey for the 1000 mile club was being put on display at SFU.  That sparked the idea that Terry's basketball jersey could be on display at SFU.  Over the years I informed the athletic and recreation directors at SFU, that Terry's basketball jersey was in Stan's good hands, and that it would be a good idea to put it on display and to retire the number.  Over the years, I was told things like Terry had only been a member of the Junior Varsity team, and that he hadn't been a starting or outstanding ball player.

But this week, the extraordinary happened.  I read in the Vancouver Sun newspaper yesterday that Terry's basketball jersey was retired.  Number Six.  Stan presented it to SFU for the 25th Anniversary of the Terry Fox Run.  Dreams do come true, and they happen all the time.


The Terry Fox $1 Coin, and me at SFU beside the Terry Fox  statue on the day of the coin release, with Darrell Fox beside coin display at SFU.