THUNDER BAY — The announcement this week that Terry Fox's image will be the next to appear on Canada's $5 bill has brought an enthusiastic response from the organizer of the annual Terry Fox Run.
"I thought it was long overdue," said Don Morrison, chair of the Thunder Bay Terry Fox Run for the past three decades. "I was really happy to hear about that."
Fox was chosen to replace former Prime Minister Sir Wilfred Laurier from a short list compiled by an independent advisory council that received nominations from the public.
Laurier will be bumped up to the $50 bill.
Fox's family expressed gratitude to the federal government, the advisory council and to Canadians who supported the nomination.
In a statement, they also acknowledged the accomplishments of the other seven nominees.
"Terry had difficulty accepting praise or recognition for his Marathon of Hope efforts. However, he did crave money, not for himself, but was always looking for the next dollar raised for cancer research.
We hope when the 'Terry Fox fiver' lands in the wallets and pockets of Canadians, that they will consider Terry's vision of eradicating cancer through research," the statement said.
Morrison believes the additional exposure the Marathon of Hope's legacy will now receive will make a difference to fundraising efforts.
"He's a pretty well-known commodity. At my own grandkids' school every year they have a Terry Fox Run and they talk about him...But any time you get a picture of Terry Fox in front of you, which you would every time you touch the $5 bill, that's got to help the whole cause."
The Lakehead Rotary Club's next community fundraising run in Thunder Bay is scheduled for Sept.14, 2025.
NOTE: There are some images in circulation showing Terry Fox on a $5 bill, but these are not government-approved images. No design has been released.
