Betty Fox, mother of Canadian icon Terry Fox, has died.

Her son, Terry, became a national hero in Canada when he ran across the country to raise money for cancer research.

Terry Fox ran his Marathon of Hope in April 1980 after he had lost a leg to bone cancer.

He had to end his run half-way across Canada—after more than 5,300 kilometres—when the cancer spread to his lungs.

It claimed his life in 1981, when he was just 22.

Like her famous son, Betty Fox was also a Canadian icon.

After her son died she kept his Marathon of Hope alive by publicizing it in the media, doing interviews and helping with the many Marathons of Hope that still spring up across the country each year in Terry’s honour.