What The Terry Fox Foundation does

The Terry Fox Foundation is a Canadian charitable non-profit founded in 1988, headquartered in Toronto, that raises funds for cancer research and maintains the legacy of Terry Fox's 1980 Marathon of Hope. Its operations center on a portfolio of community-led fundraising programs: the annual Terry Fox Run (now in its 46th year, scheduled September 20, 2026), the Terry Fox School Run (engaging 3.3 million students across nearly 10,000 events), and the Terry Fox Ride of Hope (16 cycling events across seven provinces). A network of 20,000 volunteers organizes more than 9,000 fundraising events annually across Canada and 33 countries. The Foundation's revenue model is primarily donation-driven — including one-time gifts, a monthly giving program, planned giving, and major gift solicitations — supplemented by merchandise sales through a limited-edition partnership with adidas Canada (including the Orion running shoe). Digital infrastructure comprises a donation platform at terryfox.org, a CrowdChange-powered fundraising portal, the Terry Fox Shop e-commerce storefront, and a MoveSpring-powered mobile app for participant engagement. Research funding flows through the Terry Fox Research Institute (founded 2007) and supports the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network (MOHCCN), a national precision-oncology initiative that has compiled genomic data from over 15,000 cancer patients and provides access to scientists via the Gold Cohort. The Foundation has surpassed $1 billion in cumulative funds raised since 1980, is the second largest non-governmental funder of cancer research in Canada, and has supported more than 1,300 innovative research projects. Leadership is headed by CEO Michael Mazza (appointed 2021) with a C-suite including CMO Denise Dias, COO Martha McClew, CFO/HR VP Dominique Gregoire, and Chief Philanthropy Officer John Kearsey, supplemented by Vice Presidents for Community Events, Technology, and Philanthropy. Strategic corporate alliances include adidas Canada, Westland Insurance, PharmaChoice Canada (1,100+ pharmacy network), and the Cancer Breakthrough Fund partnership with Lumira Ventures and the Canadian Cancer Society.

Name

The Terry Fox Foundation

Legal name

The Terry Fox Foundation

Website

https://terryfox.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Terry Fox Foundation is a Canadian non-profit that raises funds for cancer research through annual Terry Fox Runs, School Runs, and Ride of Hope cycling events, supported by 20,000 volunteers, merchandise sales, and donations funneled via the Terry Fox Research Institute.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Cancer Research Fundraising

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disease-Specific Research & Support (e.g., Cancer, Diabetes, ALS) (BPAGACAA), Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

Keywords

• Cancer research fundraising
• Charitable event organization
• Community fundraising runs
• Nonprofit cancer charity
• Precision oncology research

Headquarters

HQ city

Burnaby

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Primary revenue stream through individual donations, event fundraising, and corporate contributions supporting cancer research. The Foundation has surpassed $1 billion in total funds raised since 1980.
2. Merchandise Sales: Sale of limited-edition merchandise including apparel, accessories, and the Adidas Orion running shoe collection. All net proceeds support cancer research.
3. Planned Giving and Major Gifts: Program developed to encourage memoriam donations and planned gifts, as well as active major gift solicitations.
4. Monthly Giving Program: Recurring monthly donation program to support ongoing cancer research funding.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Terry Fox Foundation is a Canadian charitable nonprofit that raises funds for cancer research through event-based community fundraising programs (Terry Fox Run, School Run, Ride of Hope), an online donation platform, a mobile participant engagement app, and limited-edition merchandise sales. Funds raised are channeled primarily through the Terry Fox Research Institute to fund cancer research projects and the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network.

Product overview

The Terry Fox Foundation is a nonprofit organization that raises funds for cancer research through a portfolio of event-based fundraising programs. The core offerings include the annual Terry Fox Run (with in-person and virtual participation options), the Terry Fox School Run program for educational institutions, and the Terry Fox Ride of Hope cycling events. The Foundation operates a digital ecosystem comprising an official website and mobile app (powered by MoveSpring) for event registration, fundraising, and donor engagement. Merchandise sales through the Terry Fox Shop, including limited-edition collaborations with brands like adidas (featuring the iconic Orion shoe), provide additional fundraising channels. Research funding is distributed through the Terry Fox Research Institute, with major initiatives including the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network focused on precision oncology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Terry Fox Run
• Terry Fox School Run
• Terry Fox Ride of Hope
• Terry Fox Foundation App
• Terry Fox Shop Merchandise
• Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network (MOHCCN)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $1 billion raised for cancer research since 1980
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• River Philip FoundationminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 19 March 2026River Philip Foundation is a partner contributing to the Terry Fox New Investigator Awards, which distributed $3.5 million in funding to seven early career scientists across Canada.
• Westland InsuranceminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 February 2026Westland Insurance donated $15,000 to The Terry Fox Foundation, with funds directed to the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network to advance equitable access to precision medicine for cancer patients across Canada. Westland will also encourage employees nationwide to participate in the annual Terry Fox Run.
• PharmaChoice CanadaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPharmaChoice Canada and its network of over 1,100 independently owned pharmacy Members matched donations up to $500 for 2X the impact on cancer research (up to $100,000) on a single-day promotion.
• Canadian Cancer SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Canadian Cancer Society partnered with Lumira Ventures and The Terry Fox Foundation on the Cancer Breakthrough Fund, a collaborative initiative to advance cancer research through impact investing.
• adidas CanadacoreGTM or Marketing Partneradidas Canada is a long-time supporter of The Terry Fox Foundation, releasing limited-edition merchandise collections including the original Orion running shoes. All net proceeds support cancer research. In 2020, adidas Canada launched a nine-piece collection to support the 40th anniversary.
• Terry Fox Research InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Terry Fox Foundation and Terry Fox Research Institute work together in pursuit of Terry's dream to end cancer through research. The Foundation funds the Research Institute which invests in world-class, collaborative cancer research teams and partnerships. The Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network is a joint initiative.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Canadian Cancer Society: Canada's largest national cancer charity and the Foundation's primary domestic fundraising competitor. Both organizations fund cancer research and run community-based fundraising events, and they co-launch the Cancer Breakthrough Fund with Lumira Ventures.
• The V Foundation for Cancer Research: U.S. cancer research grantmaking foundation funded through celebrity-driven events and donations. Directly comparable as a research-focused charity with an event-driven fundraising model and similar grantmaking scale.
• Stand Up To Cancer: U.S. charitable program funding collaborative cancer research teams and translational science. Comparable in funding collaborative, team-based precision oncology research and using broadcast/entertainment partnerships for fundraising.
• Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: Disease-specific U.S. health charity funding blood cancer research through community events and campaigns. Comparable as a single-disease-focused research funder with strong event-based fundraising (e.g., Light The Night Walks).
• Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation: Major Canadian cancer hospital-affiliated foundation raising funds for cancer research. Comparable as a Canadian cancer research grantmaker, though tied to a single institution rather than a national network.
• SickKids Foundation: Canadian charitable foundation funding pediatric health research, including childhood cancer research. Comparable in operating model (national brand, event-driven fundraising, school engagement) but focused on children's health broadly.

Broad incumbents

• American Cancer Society: The largest U.S. cancer charity with a comparable mission of funding research and running community events (Relay For Life). Comparable in scale of fundraising and research grants, but with a much broader disease-area and patient-services portfolio.
• Cancer Research UK: The world's largest cancer research charity. Comparable in mission and scale of research funding, with broader disease-area coverage and established international research partnerships.

Regional players

• BC Cancer Foundation: A provincial Canadian cancer research foundation that raises funds for cancer research and care. Operates in the same Canadian fundraising landscape as Terry Fox Foundation but with a regional (British Columbia) focus rather than national scope.

Others

• Dana-Farber Cancer Institute: U.S. cancer research and treatment institution that combines patient care with research funding. Comparable as a downstream recipient of cancer research philanthropy and as a producer of precision oncology data and trials.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TerryFoxCanada
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCIBx0F1o2Cgl3SSRwAOzIJg
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheTerryFoxFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/terry-fox-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/terryfoxfoundation
• TikToktiktok.com/@theterryfoxfoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Terry Fox Foundation