When Fred Fox came to speak at Northridge Public School (NPS) in London, Ont., on Tuesday, Logan Boyce listened intently. “It’s not every day someone like Fred Fox just comes to your school,” said Boyce, 13, a Grade 8 student. “As a cancer survivor, this is significant to me because the fundraising from it [Terry Fox Run] probably helped treat my cancer and will help others in the future.” At age four, Boyce was diagnosed with leukemia. “It was a defect in my bone that caused the leukemia to be produced and sent through my systems. I underwent about four years of chemotherapy in order to treat it, and it was very hard, hard times. I think because of that, I understand the significance of stuff like this,” he explained. Fred visits between 100 and 130 schools each year across Canada, and this is day two of his spring tour. “These kids know about who Terry Fox was,” said Fred, Terry’s older brother. “I try to share some stories that they may not know about Terry and just talk about Terry and what he was like before he started the Marathon of Hope.” NPS is a perennial powerhouse when it comes to fundraising for the Terry Fox Run. In 2025, NPS led the City of London schools by bringing in $31,400. They have participated in every run since its inception and have brought in over $306,000. “I think it’s just the whole community really joins in,” said Heidi Fretz, a teacher and school run organizer. “My primary kids that I teach, when I put up the posters about Fred coming, it was so neat. They would see the poster and say that ‘Terry Fox’s brother is coming.’” “I learned about Terry Fox in school, and the year I ran my first marathon, I really finally understood what a physical feat it was that Terry did as an athlete. I still can’t wrap my head around that and just became really passionate about it,” she added. Fretz also feels a personal connection to the Fox family. She lost her husband six years ago after the two became big supporters of the run. “In 2020, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and we lost him four months later at 47,” explained Fretz. “It certainly did light an even bigger fire about our Terry Fox passion and this past September I took my two kids to Thunder Bay, and we took part in a special hike that the Fox Foundation put on for the 45th anniversary of the day Terry had to stop his run in Thunder Bay. It was incredibly special,” she said. Fred spoke to the kids and teachers about his brother’s passions and perseverance. It’s his goal to keep Terry’s legacy alive for generations. “I always say ‘Terry never gets older either,’” said Fred. He concluded, “He’s very close to these kids’ age. We know Terry Fox by wanting to raise money for cancer research, but I share things about Terry that, hopefully is valuable to them. I like to speak about Terry working hard and never giving up. Terry truly believed that anything is possible if you try and hopefully, they got that message as well.”
