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.