Which Canadian started the 'Marathon of Hope' in 1980 to raise money for cancer research?

Discover Canada records this in one direct sentence. The guide writes: In 1980, Terry Fox, a British Columbian who lost his right leg to cancer at the age of 18, began a cross-country run, the "Marathon of Hope," to raise money for cancer research. The Canadian the test wants is therefore Terry Fox.

Terry Fox is one of Canada's most iconic figures. Discover Canada describes him as "a British Columbian who lost his right leg to cancer at the age of 18." Despite that loss, he set out on a coast-to-coast run in 1980 — a feat that captured the imagination of the country. The run was named the "Marathon of Hope", and its purpose was specifically to raise money for cancer research.

The story did not end as he hoped. Discover Canada writes: "He became a hero to Canadians. While he did not finish the run and ultimately lost his battle with cancer, his legacy continues through yearly fundraising events in his name." So Terry Fox died of cancer before completing the Marathon of Hope, but the annual fundraising events he inspired have continued for decades — making the Marathon of Hope one of the country's longest-running national charity efforts.

A second British Columbian followed five years later. Discover Canada notes that "in 1985, fellow British Columbian Rick Hansen circled the globe in a wheelchair to raise funds for spinal cord research." So two iconic Canadians from British Columbia — Terry Fox in 1980 (cross-country, cancer research) and Rick Hansen in 1985 (round-the-world, spinal cord research) — each undertook epic physical journeys for medical fundraising. But the "Marathon of Hope" itself, the 1980 cross-country run for cancer research, belongs to Terry Fox.

The question is testing whether new citizens know who started the Marathon of Hope in 1980. Discover Canada commits to one Canadian: Terry Fox. The right test answer matches that.

The wrong answer choices each pick a different Canadian figure. Rick Hansen circled the globe in a wheelchair in 1985 — for spinal cord research, not cancer research. Wayne Gretzky played hockey for the Edmonton Oilers from 1979 to 1988 — but is not connected to the Marathon of Hope. Donovan Bailey is a sprinter (world record sprinter and double Olympic gold medallist) but not the Marathon-of-Hope founder. Only Terry Fox started the Marathon of Hope in 1980.