42nd annual Terry Fox Run in the Sault

Hundreds turned out to the Sault's Roberta Bondar Pavilion for the 42nd annual Terry Fox Run.

Taking part is a tradition for many, including Art MacDonald.

A cancer survivor himself, he's been raising funds for cancer research since the run's second year.

“Every year they’re ‘Oh, it’s September,’ it’s Terry Fox time. I don’t even have to call them, one lady comes by; she drops her cheque off. I didn’t know if I even called her. This year we had our best year, we are at $9,271 dollars,” MacDonald told CTV News.

Though fundraising is the event's main goal, but the Terry Fox Run also has a social aspect.

John Martha, a volunteer with the run, says many gathered well in advance to share stories.

“There may have been people here old enough, like me, that remember when Terry Fox was doing his Marathon of Hope in 1980 and he ran through the Sault,” Martha added.

The run's theme this year is ‘I'm Not a Quitter’.

For some, like Danielle Dupuis, persevering on the 5km or 10km circuit was made easier when thinking about the reason behind the event.

“It’s always that little push, whether it be a breeze or the wind, I’m like okay my grandpa is with me right now, I have a friend with me right now. I’m not running by myself, even though I am, I just know they’re with me,” Dupuis explained.

The last two years of the event were virtual and everyone CTV News spoke to said the in-person format was sorely missed.

Those virtual years saw fundraising totals fall just shy of the $25,000 yearly goal.

This year's run raised more than $27,000.