Bryan Adams honors Canadian legend Terry Fox with moving new ballad ahead of annual run

It's a powerful musical tribute created for the upcoming documentary Run Terry Run, as Huntsville prepares for the annual fundraiser with Hunters Bay Radio matching community donations up to $10,000

Forty-six years ago, a 20-year-old Bryan Adams was playing Vancouver nightclubs while another young British Columbia man was capturing the heart of an entire country. That young man was Terry Fox. Today, one Canadian icon pays tribute to another with Adams’ new single, "The Ballad of Terry Fox," an acoustic, roots-rock anthem featured as the closing track in Sean Menard’s upcoming documentary, Run Terry Run.

Written with deep reverence, the song pairs Adams' weathered vocals with driving acoustic guitar, chronicling a journey that redefined courage and national unity.

In 1977, at just 18 years old, Terry Fox was diagnosed with osteosarcoma and had his right leg amputated above the knee. Refusing to be defined by his diagnosis, Fox embarked on his extraordinary "Marathon of Hope" on April 12, 1980, dipping his artificial leg into the Atlantic Ocean at St. John’s, Newfoundland. His goal was simple yet audacious: run across Canada—a full 26.2-mile marathon every single day—to raise one dollar for every Canadian citizen in support of cancer research.

For 143 grueling days, through scorching heat, rain, and bitter winds, Fox ran 5,373 kilometers on one leg of bone and one leg of steel. On September 1, 1980, near Thunder Bay, Ontario, the run was forced to a halt when cancer spread to his lungs. Though Terry passed away ten months later at age 22, his original dream succeeded—raising $24.7 million in his lifetime and sparking a global movement that has since raised over $1 billion for cancer research.

As Adams sings in the anthem, "The fight still carries on"—and right here in Muskoka, our community is stepping up once again. The annual Terry Fox Run returns to Huntsville on Sunday, September 20, kicking off at Huntsville High School.

Hunters Bay Radio is doubling the impact of every step and every dollar. Listeners can join or donate to the official Hunters Bay Radio Team online at muskokaradio.com or directly on the Terry Fox Foundation site, with all community contributions matched dollar-for-dollar by the station up to $10,000. Whether you run, walk, roll, or donate, your support ensures that Terry’s mission lives on.

Sources

• AZLyrics
• NOW Toronto
• CBC Music
• Terry Fox Foundation