Vancouver Bandits have unveiled a special edition jersey featuring Terry Fox and his Marathon of Hope.
Proceeds from each jersey sold will be donated to the Terry Fox Foundation in support of cancer research across Canada, and the Bandits’ roster will wear the jersey at the club’s upcoming Canada Day match-up versus the Niagara River Lions, which tips off at 5 p.m. on Monday, July 1, at Langley Events Centre.
The announcement was made Tuesday, June 11.
Terry's brother, Fred Fox, said basketball was his sibling's favourite sport.
"He thought of himself as an average athlete and would often say he had to work harder than others to make the team," Fred recalled.
"We are delighted to partner with the Vancouver Bandits on this special initiative and appreciate their support to help realize Terry's dream of a world without cancer."
Each jersey features the number 4, the number worn by Terry during his season as a member of Simon Fraser University’s (SFU) junior varsity basketball team in 1977.
After cancer required his right leg to be amputated, as well as chemotherapy and surgery, Fox continued to play, joining Rick Hansen as a member of his wheelchair basketball team and eventually won three national titles with the team before embarking on his Marathon of Hope on April 12, 1980.
Fox's run spanned 143 days and 5,373 kilometres before a return of cancer forced him to stop. He ran an average of 26 miles daily, equivalent to running a full marathon.
Today, his legacy lives through various fundraising initiatives and the annual Terry Fox Runs across the country and beyond.
To date, the Terry Fox Foundation has raised more than $850 million and funded 1,300 innovative cancer research projects.
The jerseys feature a black, red, and white colour scheme, inspired by the patterning of Terry’s 1970s jersey worn at SFU.
Bandits team president Dylan Kular called them "a special tribute to the legacy of a remarkable hero [who] continues to inspire us
daily."
"Written on each jersey are Terry’s words, ‘Dreams are made possible if you try.’" Kular said.
"Today, we continue to follow Terry’s lead by working together toward achieving his dream of a world without cancer."
