Terry Fox (1958–1981) was a Canadian humanitarian, athlete and cancer research activist. He was a distance runner and basketball player, and continued both pursuits after his right leg was amputated upon being diagnosed with osteosarcoma in 1977. His experiences in chemotherapy inspired Fox to attempt the Marathon of Hope, a cross-Canada run, in the hopes of raising C$1 for every person in the country for cancer research. He began on April 12, 1980, at St. John's, Newfoundland, and ran west for 143 days and 5,373 kilometres – the equivalent of a marathon a day – until forced to stop near Thunder Bay, Ontario, after cancer returned in his lungs. Fox captivated the country; he was named Newsmaker of the Year in both 1980 and 1981, and was the youngest person ever named a Companion of the Order of Canada. His run and subsequent battle with the disease united the nation and led to millions of dollars in donations. He inspired the Terry Fox Run, held in over 60 countries and the world's largest one-day fundraiser for cancer research; over $500 million has been raised in his name. Considered a national hero, many buildings, roads and parks have been named in his honour across Canada.

Read the rest of this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Fox

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1777:

American Revolutionary War: British troops engaged American forces at the first Battle of Saratoga in New York. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battles_of_Saratoga

1796:

George Washington's Farewell Address was published in many American newspapers, warning citizens, among others, about the dangers of political factionalism and to avoid permanent alliances with other foreign powers. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington%27s_Farewell_Address

1944:

Finland and the Soviet Union signed the Moscow Armistice to end the Continuation War. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuation_War

1964:

An armed revolt by Montagnards serving in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam against the rule of Nguyen Khanh led to the deaths of 70 ethnic Vietnamese soldiers. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nguyen_Khanh

1985:

An 8.1 ML earthquake struck Mexico City, killing at least nine thousand people and leaving up to 100,000 homeless. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1985_Mexico_City_earthquake

1991:

Ötzi the Iceman, a well-preserved natural mummy of a man from about 3300 BC, was discovered by two German tourists. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%96tzi_the_Iceman

1995:

The Manifesto of "Unabomber" Ted Kaczynski was published in The Washington Post and The New York Times, almost three months after it was submitted. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Kaczynski

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

epitome (n): 1. The embodiment or encapsulation (of something). 2. A representative example. 3. The height; the best http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/epitome

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

The soul of man is larger than the sky,

Deeper than ocean, or the abysmal dark Of the unfathomed center. Like that ark,

Which in its sacred hold uplifted high, O'er the drowned hills, the human family,

And stock reserved of every living kind, So, in the compass of the single mind,

The seeds and pregnant forms in essence lie, That make all worlds. --Hartley Coleridge http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Hartley_Coleridge