Terry was only 18 years old when he was diagnosed with bone cancer and had to have his right leg amputated above the knee. During his hospital stay, he was profoundly affected by the experiences of other young cancer patients. So he decided to do something about it. He decided to run across Canada to raise money and awareness for cancer research. He trained hard for his "Marathon of Hope" and on April 12, 1980 he began, dipping his artificial leg in the waters off St. John's Newfoundland. Terry's plan was to run all the way across the country. As Terry pounded the miles, more and more people took note, cheering the young hero on -- and donating to his cause.