2026 Winner

Terry Fox remains one of the most recognized figures in Canada, but that recognition has increasingly become symbolic, distancing audiences from the Foundation’s ongoing work in cancer research. “Finish It” set out to close that gap by reframing the Marathon of Hope as unfinished – something Canadians are still responsible for completing. The idea was realized through a film built to eliminate separation between the viewer and the effort. Shot in a single, uninterrupted take, it unfolds in real time, with the camera following rather than leading, and pacing dictated by the physical limits of a real amputee athlete. A digitally recreated Terry Fox, developed through a combination of traditional VFX and restrained AI, is integrated with enough precision to feel present without drawing attention to the technique, while a stripped-back version of The Tragically Hip’s “Courage” resists over-scoring the moment. Released across broadcast, cinema and OOH, the work generated 15.2M organic views, 2.5B earned impressions and a 230% increase in donations – the Foundation’s strongest year on record.

Credits

Client: Terry Fox Foundation

Denise Dias — Chief Marketing & Communications Officer
Melissa Woudstra — Digital Marketing Manager
Liam Hlynialuk — Manager, Marketing & Communications
Kris Wallace — Senior Writer, Marketing & Communications
Justine Moore — Designer, Marketing & Communications

Agency: Diamond
Josh Diamond — Partner / President
Peter Ignani — Chief Creative Officer
Jordan Cohen — VP, Group Creative Director, Copywriter
Mark Holden — VP, Group Creative Director, Art Director
Mark Graham — Head of Production, Video & Content
Lori Davison — Chief Strategy Officer
Rebecca Flaman — EVP, Client Partner
Erin Banting — Vice President, Strategy
Larissa Varga — Program Director, Enterprise
Evelyn Wong — Designer
Lorri MacDonald — Managing Director

PR: Glossy
Shannon Stephaniuk —

PR Agnostic
Sarah Crabbe — President
Sherri-Lyn Brown — SVP, Consumer
Mackenzie Biddie — Associate Director
Jessica Hoffeldt — Senior Account Manager
Alex Wilcox — Account Manager
Ricardo Fartura — Account Executive

Production Company: Scouts Honour
Mark Zibert — Director
Eric Kaskens — Director of Photography
Simon Dragland — Executive Producer / Producer
Rita Popielak — Executive Producer / Producer
Tricia Zaremba — Creative Research
Jordan Worth — Production Designer
Kate Day — Wardrobe Stylist

Casting: Jigsaw Casting
Shasta Lutz — Casting Director
Editorial Nimiopere
Graham Chisholm — Editor
Laura Corredor — Assistant Editor
Jenna Edwards — Executive Producer

Colour: Alter Ego Post
Wade Odlum — Senior Colourist
Daniel Saavedra — Assistant Colourist
Sabrina Salerno — Assistant Colourist
Sam Omand — Post-Production Coordinator
Spencer Butt — Producer
Genna McAuliffe — Senior Producer

Visual Effects, Online Tantrum Studio
Dominik Bochenski — VFX Artist
Victoria Holt — Executive Producer
Rebecca Mackillop — Executive Producer

Music & Sound: Walker
Sara Matarrazzo — Managing Director
Stephanie Pigott — Senior Executive Producer / Partner
Danielle Soury — Senior Producer
Jonas Bonnetta — Cover Arrangement

Song “Courage (for Hugh MacLennan)” — Courage (for Hugh MacLennan)
Performed by The Tragically Hip