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Friends & Difference Makers: Terry Fox & Rick Hansen

friendship, alike/not alike, “making a difference,” disability, goal, artificial, cancer, spinal cord injury, inspire

OPENING MOTIVATOR

Read Appendix 1, Story of Rick Hansen & Terry Fox to your students.

Discuss the following with your students:

1. What is a friend? . e.g. Someone you like to play with, makes you

laugh, makes you feel good, etc.

2. How do you know Rick Hansen and Terry Fox were friends?

. e.g. Played sports together, traveled together, Rick helped Terry by inviting him to play wheelchair basketball when he first came out of the hospital, Terry showed Rick how one person could make a difference, etc.

3. How are they alike and not alike?

. Alike: both men, wanted to be PE Teachers, have disabilities, had a friend that helped them reach their goal, etc.

. Not alike: one is still alive/one is not, one uses a wheelchair/one used an artificial leg, one ran/one wheeled, etc.

4. How did each make a difference for other people?

. Terry raised hope and money for cancer research, Rick raised hope and money for spinal cord injury, etc.

Hand out Appendix 3, Colouring Sheet: Students should write a word or sentence about Terry and Rick.

BIG IDEAStudents will gain an understanding of the value/meaning of friendship as exemplified by the relationship between Terry Fox and Rick Hansen.

LEARNING OBJECTIVESStudents will understand the friendship between Terry Fox and Rick Hansen; how they still make a difference in the lives of others; and how friends accept and support each other. They will use these learnings to further their personal understanding of friendship and being a difference maker.

MATERIALSAppendix 1: Story of Rick Hansen and Terry Fox Appendix 2: Biography of Rick Hansen Appendix 3: Colouring sheet of Rick Hansen & Terry Fox

Internet access either before or during the lesson.

LESSON LENGTH20 minutes for Opening Motivator and Teacher discretion for remainder.

CURRICULUM LINKSHealth, Social Studies, Language Arts, Personal Planning

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Ensure your word wall includes key words for this task.

Use the Primary “Difference Maker” Lesson Plan #9 as an introduction or follow-up to this lesson. (Go to www.rickhansen.com/schools)

CONCLUSION

Have students reflect on the following:

1. Rick and Terry were good friends – who is your good friend?

2. Terry inspired Rick to make a difference, who inspires you?

3. What can you do to make a difference for your family, your friends, or others?

4. How could you inspire others?

Role play: Consider incorporating role play friendship-building scenarios such as:

. Imagine there is a new person in your class that you have never played with – act out how you might ask them to play with you.

Understanding the Stories: To explore the life stories of Terry and Rick in more depth, use Appendix 2 Biography of Rick Hansen and also go to http://www.terryfox.org/TerryFox/T_Fox.html Consider developing an extension piece where students listen as you read the bios, and then create a drawing of either Terry or Rick.

Bringing it home: Encourage the students to ask their parents/family if they know about Terry Fox or Rick Hansen and for the students to share with them tell them what they’ve learned.

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APPENDIX ONE:

STORY OF RICK HANSEN AND TERRY FOX

RICK HANSEN AND TERRY FOX: STORY OF A FRIENDSHIP

Rick met Terry Fox after Terry had lost his leg to cancer. Terry was on chemotherapy after leaving the hospital. Rick had heard that Terry might be interested in playing wheelchair basketball, so he gave him a call inviting Terry to play with his wheelchair basketball team. Rick thought Terry was a great guy, with plenty of courage. When Terry first started playing wheelchair basketball, he wasn’t all that good at it; but the spark of determination in his eye was an indication of the effort he would make to become a terrific player.

Rick and Terry were teammates and friends, travelling together for wheelchair basketball tournaments and marathons. They also trained together to improve their skills and stamina.

Rick recalls: It wasn’t enough for Terry to wait for the two or three practices a week to improve his wheelchair basketball skills. He would take the initiative by doing extra training. And he would also demonstrate leadership by calling a number of the guys on the team and encouraging them to come out to the gym to practice or scrimmage. And then sometimes both of us would even wheel up Gaglardi Way (a road up a big mountain leading to the Simon Fraser University campus) to increase our strength!

Rick and Terry both received amazing support from friends, family and mentors. Through this support, they were able to recognize that they had bright futures and could achieve their goals. They also realized how important it is to give back and work hard to make a difference in the lives of others.

Terry saw the pain and suffering of others affected by cancer, and decided to use his passion for sport to give back. In 1980, Terry embarked on the Marathon of Hope, running across Canada to raise money for cancer research. His goal was to raise $24 million dollars; one dollar for every person in Canada. Although his cancer didn’t allow him to complete the Marathon, he was successful in reaching his goal.

Terry inspired people to see his ability instead of his disability; and in the process he raised millions of dollars for cancer research. Terry’s legacy continues to inspire, and through the annual Terry Fox Run, thousands of Canadians raise money each year for cancer research in his honour.

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Rick travelled around the world competing in international wheelchair marathon competitions. He realized that the barriers people with disabilities faced existed everywhere, and wanted to change that.

Rick was inspired by his friend Terry, and started to believe that maybe his dream could become a reality too. He wanted to make a difference by focusing his talents and passions to raise awareness of the potential of people with disabilities and money to improve their quality of life by supporting things such as research, rehabilitation and wheelchair sports. In 1986, Rick set out on the Man In Motion World Tour, wheeling around the world and raising over $26 million. The tour also heightened worldwide awareness of the potential of people with disabilities.

Rick continues to raise funds and awareness to make the world a healthier, more inclusive place.

Terry and Rick are Difference Makers. They remind us that one person can make a difference, so we need to dig deep, try hard, and reach for our dreams.

APPENDIX ONE:

STORY OF RICK HANSEN AND TERRY FOX

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paralyzed; research; spinal cord Injury; encouragement; Paralympics; Olympics; disability

THE EARLY YEARS – A “BOY IN MOTION”

Rick Hansen was born on August 26th, 1957 in Port Alberni and grew up in Fort St. John, Abbotsford and Williams Lake (which are all towns in British Columbia). Rick was a regular kid who loved playing outside every chance he got! Growing up in British Columbia, he had loads of outdoor space to explore; mountains, forests, rivers and lakes. In fact, Rick loved being outside so much that his mom would often have to insist that he come in for dinner! He was truly a “boy in motion.”

Rick loved exploring and learning about his environment. He really liked fishing, so he learned all he could about the fish that lived in local waters near his town. Like a lot of kids, Rick also loved sports – any kind of sport but especially those that involved dribbling, throwing, hitting or kicking a ball around.

When he was 15 he went on a fishing trip with his friend Don Alder. After having a great time and catching lots of fish, the boys rode on the back of a pickup truck to get home. Suddenly the truck crashed and toppled over on the side of the road. During the crash, Rick was hurt and Don was not. Rick was paralyzed from the waist down. He had a spinal cord injury and he would never be able to walk again.

Rick didn’t give up! He was in the hospital for seven months. While he was in there, he learned how to use a wheelchair. This was a very hard time for Rick, but he continued to believe in himself.

After a lot of hard work and determination, Rick returned home to be with his family. There, with the encouragement of his friends, family and coach, he learned that he could still enjoy the things he loved – like fishing and sports – just in a different way.

APPENDIX TWO:

BIOGRAPHY OF RICK HANSEN, C.C., O.B.C.

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SPORTS CAREER

When Rick finished high school, he went to university. Because he wanted to help kids be active and live healthy lives, Rick decide to study to become a Physical Education teacher. Some people thought that he couldn’t do it because he used a wheelchair. Rick didn’t let that stop him one bit! During university, Rick continued to play sports and even tried a bunch of new sports he had never played before. He joined a wheelchair basketball team at his school and that’s where he met his good friend – Terry Fox.

Rick also really liked racing his wheelchair. He started entering different racing competitions and won many championships around the world. Rick trained very hard and eventually he participated in both the Paralympic and Olympic Games.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS

Rick wanted to help others. He had big dreams. One dream was to raise money to help find a cure for spinal cord injuries. The other dream was to help the world understand what people who use wheelchairs are capable of. So what did he do? He decided to wheel his wheelchair around the world! Can you imagine how hard that would be? He wheeled through rain and snow and hot deserts. He wheeled uphill, downhill, and over bridges. His hands were sore and his muscles were too. It took him two years, two months, and two days. His trip around the world was called the Man In Motion World Tour. When he arrived home to Vancouver, thousands of people welcomed him. His trip was over and had been very successful. Rick and his team of helpers raised $26 million dollars and showed people around the world what a person with a disability could achieve. Rick and his team used that money to help other people living with spinal cord injuries, to support research for a cure for spinal cord injury, and to help everyone live healthier lives. His journey inspired many people.

APPENDIX TWO:

BIOGRAPHY OF RICK HANSEN, C.C., O.B.C.

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THE END WAS JUST THE BEGINNING

Today Rick lives in Richmond with his family. His wife’s name is Amanda and he has three daughters – Emma, Alana and Rebecca. Rick is a great dad. He loves to spend time with his family and play sports with his girls. He even coached his girls when they played softball and volleyball.

Rick also enjoys coaching other teams. He has coached many teams, including wheelchair volleyball, wheelchair basketball, volleyball, basketball and softball.

Even as a grown-up, Rick still enjoys fishing – it is one of his favorite hobbies! Rick likes fishing so much that he even volunteers with organizations that help protect fish that are in danger – like sturgeon and salmon.

It has been more than 25 years since Rick started his journey to help people be healthy and to create a world where everyone counts. He is still working on his dreams and he has never given up. Since he started, he and his team have raised over $280 million dollars. As he says, “the best work is in front of us.” But he can’t do it alone – he needs your help to make a difference!

Visit www.rickhansen.com to learn more.

APPENDIX TWO:

BIOGRAPHY OF Rick Hansen, C.C., O.B.C.

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APPENDIX THREE:

RICK AND TERRY COLOURING SHEET