Vancouver Bandits Unveil Special Edition Canada Day Jersey in Honour of Terry Fox

The Vancouver Bandits are proud to launch a special edition jersey featuring iconic imagery of Terry Fox and his Marathon of Hope in celebration of his legacy. Proceeds from each jersey sold will be donated to the Terry Fox Foundation in support of cancer research across Canada.

The Bandits’ roster will wear the jersey at the club’s upcoming Canada Day match-up versus the Niagara River Lions, which tips off at 5 p.m. PT (8 p.m. ET) on Monday, July 1, 2024, at Langley Events Centre. Tickets for the game are available for purchase and the game will be nationally televised on TSN.

The jersey is available in both adult and youth sizes now for pre-order at this link. A limited selection of replica jerseys will be available for sale at the Bandits’ Canada Day match-up, which is dedicated in Terry’s honour. 

"Terry loved to compete in sports, and his favourite sport to play was basketball—he thought of himself as an average athlete and would often say he had to work harder than others to make the team," recalls Fred Fox, on behalf of Terry's family. "We are delighted to partner with the Vancouver Bandits on this special initiative and appreciate their support to help realize Terry's dream of a world without cancer." 

Each jersey features the no. 4, which was the number worn by Terry during his season as a member of Simon Fraser University’s (SFU) junior varsity basketball team in 1977. Despite an eventual cancer diagnosis that required his right leg to be amputated, as well as chemotherapy and surgery, Fox continued to excel in sports. He joined Rick Hansen as a member of his wheelchair basketball team and eventually won three national titles with the team before embarking on his Marathon of Hope on April 12, 1980.

Inscribed on the front and back of the special edition jersey are the names of all the cities, parks, and towns where Terry started and ended his daily run during his tremendous journey from St. John’s, Newfoundland to Thunder Bay, Ontario. Fox’s goal was to run from Canada’s east coast in Newfoundland to its west coast in Victoria, British Columbia, raising awareness and funds for cancer research.

Terry’s Marathon of Hope spanned 143 days and 5,373 kilometres before he fell too ill to continue. He ran an average of 26 miles daily – equivalent to the distance of running a marathon each day of his mission across Canada. Today, his legacy lives through various fundraising initiatives and the annual Terry Fox Run across the country and beyond.

Fox’s running route spanning Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario is etched on the jersey, which also features his name and the no. 4 on the back of all replica jerseys available for fans to purchase.

The jersey features a black, red, and white colour scheme, as well as colour blocked side paneling inspired by the patterning of Terry’s 1970s jersey worn at SFU. His no. 4 jersey has since been retired by the university as well as the high school he attended.

“Written on each jersey are Terry’s words, ‘Dreams are made possible if you try.’ Today, we continue to follow Terry’s lead by working together toward achieving his dream of a world without cancer. This jersey collaboration is a special tribute to the legacy of a remarkable hero that continues to inspire us daily,” says Bandits team president Dylan Kular. “I am incredibly proud of our organization and our team lead on this collaboration, Andrew Savory, who worked tirelessly to ensure our collaboration with the Fox family honours Terry’s legacy in the best way possible.”

The Bandits are one of 10 men’s professional basketball teams that annually compete in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). The Bandits are midway through the club’s sixth CEBL season. The club’s home venue of Langley Events Centre is located just a 20-minute drive from Terry’s high school alma mater, Port Coquitlam Senior Secondary School, which was later renamed as “Terry Fox Secondary School.”

More information on the Bandits’ current CEBL season and the club’s highly anticipated Canada Day game honouring Terry Fox can be found by clicking here.