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Betty Fox had a way with words -- most of them straightforward -- and she did not hold back when her 20-year-old son Terry told her that he wanted to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. "I thought he was crazy," she once said. Having watched her second eldest child battle bone cancer and lose his left leg above the knee to the disease, it did not rest easily with Betty that Terry would take on such a monumental, almost impossible challenge. But, she eventually came round to fully supporting his Marathon of Hope in 1980. After running for 143 days, juicy couture outlet Terry was forced to stop on Sept. 1, 1980, when cancer recurred in his lungs. He died less than a year later on June 28, 1981 - one month shy of his 23rd birthday. His Marathon of Hope came to an end but the spark he had lit in the hearts and minds of Canadians ignited into a cancer crusade that has lasted more than three decades. Thirty one years later, Betty's own marathon came to an end when she died earlier this year on June 17. Betty helped to make Terry's dream bigger than he could have ever imagined. She addressed close to 500,000 students in her quest to share Terry's story and inspired her listeners to think, and live, big. The final words of every one of her speeches: "Set your goals high and never, ever give up on your dreams." Fred Fox, Betty's first born and Terry's older brother by 14 months, continues the legacy. As provincial director of the Terry Fox Foundation, Fred worked with volunteers from 1994 to 2001 and witnessed firsthand the impact his brother's legacy had on countless supporters and cancer research. As manager of supporter relations today, Fred is responsible for managing relations and partnerships between his family, the Terry Fox Foundation, and its stakeholders, including volunteers and donors across Canada. In addition, Fred is a proud and active director of the Terry Fox Foundation, and works tirelessly to oversee and protect Fox's legacy for future generations. "One thing Terry always said during the Marathon of Hope, is that we all will be touched by cancer, maybe not personally, but it could be a family member, or friend, or co-worker," he said. To date, $550 million has been raised in Terry's name. Over the past thirty years these funds made an indelible impact on research and have fueled much of the advances made in the fight against this disease. This year marks the first race since his mother death. "It's going to be difficult. I'm trying not to go there. It will be the first one she won't be at. It will be emotional," Fred said about the upcoming event. Fred, his wife Theresa, and their three adult children will participate in the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows run at Hammond, just like they have for the past 20 years. "We used to go to Coquitlam, which is known as the 'hometown' run because we grew up there," explained Fred. "But being that Maple Ridge is our home, Theresa and I decided a long time ago to do the Maple Ridge run. It's about our hometown," he said. Fred said, "Remember, it's not just a run - you can roll, bike, walk, use a stroller - it's for families." Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to participate in the annual Terry Fox Run on Sunday, Sept. 18.