It Couldn’t Be Done- Dedicated to anyone who just won't quit and to everyone participating in the 33rd annual Terry Fox Run.

This poem was Terry Fox's favourite poem and he read it daily before running his Marathon A Day. I hope it inspires you to do something that seems impossible.  Terry was quite remarkable. Terry Fox Run Day is a special day for participants. Many of us take part in it to honour loved ones who have battled cancer. 

Terry Fox 
(1958-1981)

Canadian Athlete, Humanitarian, Cancer-Treatment Advocate

birthdate: July 28 birthplace: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada 

It Couldn’t Be Done

BY EDGAR ALBERT GUEST

Somebody said that it couldn’t be done

      But he with a chuckle replied

That “maybe it couldn’t,” but he would be one

      Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.

So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin

      On his face. If he worried he hid it.

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

      That couldn’t be done, and he did it!

Somebody scoffed: “Oh, you’ll never do that;

      At least no one ever has done it;”

But he took off his coat and he took off his hat

      And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.

With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,

      Without any doubting or quiddit,

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

      That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,

      There are thousands to prophesy failure,

There are thousands to point out to you one by one,

      The dangers that wait to assail you.

But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,

      Just take off your coat and go to it;

Just start in to sing as you tackle the thing

      That “cannot be done,” and you’ll do it.

QUOTES

“Even though I'm not running anymore, we still have to try to find a cure for cancer. Other people should go ahead and try to do their own thing now.”

“I don’t feel that this is unfair. That’s the thing about cancer. I’m not the only one, it happens all the time to people. I’m not special. This just intensifies what I did. It gives it more meaning. It’ll inspire more people. I just wish people would realize that anything’s possible if you try; dreams are made possible if you try."

“Even if I don't finish, we need others to continue. It's got to keep going without me.”

“Somewere the hurting must stop.”

“I know that you can do the impossible,”

“I'm not a dreamer, and I'm not saying this will initiate any kind of definitive answer or cure to cancer, but I believe in miracles. I have to.”

"How many people ever get a chance to do something that they really believe in?"

Favourite Quotes from Terry Fox