Terry Fox Run takes over Sudbury's Bell Park

People of all shapes, sizes and colours weaved their way through Bell Park in Sudbury on Sunday all with a common purpose, to see an end to cancer.

More than a hundred participants signed up this year for the 42nd annual Terry Fox Run in a bid to fulfill Terry's goal of beating the disease and to continue his mission.

"It's just Terry continues to be a really relevant hero to many Canadians," said organizer Melissa Dutrisac.

"There are so many of us who are impacted by cancer, we know people who have cancer or we ourselves have cancer and so it's a really important event that we continue to have every year."

Dustrisac told CTV News that events like this not only help in raising funds but also in raising awareness about the disease and Fox himself.

Azadeh Quenneville said she continues to sign up each and every year – she lost her husband to lymphoma.

"Let's not forget. The science and technology will overcome this eventually," she told CTV News.

Some of this year's highest fundraisers were also under the age of 12. Samuel Jessup has been running a fishing derby for the last two years.

The 11-year-old said he figures they've raised roughly $3,000 for cancer research.

"I'm a runner and Terry Fox is a runner too and he had a dream to cure cancer and we have to finish that for him," he said.

"There are a lot of people who suffer from cancer and die every year and I don't think that's good, so curing cancer would be a good thing for the world."

The 'Jessup Family Team' ran or walked for in Sudbury's 42nd annual Terry Fox Run in support of cancer research. (Photo courtesy of Emilie Jessup)"The Terry Fox Run is important because cancer is important to Terry because he had his leg amputated by cancer. It spread to his lungs," said six-year-old William Javor.

At only six years old, his family said young William has become a Terry Fox aficionado, studying everything he can about the Canadian legend.

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The event also saw a few busloads of participants and volunteers from the Laurentian University residences – including Avary Plante and Micah Campbell.

"Terry Fox is a big event because it's very important," said Plante.

“I have a lot of international students on my floor, I explain it to them and they're very impressed."

"For me, I think it's just great to spread awareness about cancer and Terry Fox is one of the greatest ways to do that," added Campbell.

Amy Blount and her daughter Morgan were some of the first at the starting line, they told CTV News that today they are running for family.

“I'm coming out to honour my dad who passed away in May from cancer and I have a sister who is surviving breast cancer and so it means a lot to us. You know cancer sucks and we need a cure and every penny counts," said Blount, wearing a badge declaring she would be running for Jerry and Liz.

"I love my grandpa, I'm not doing the full 10K. I'm doing the 4K and I'm really excited," added young Morgan.

As of the time of this publication, the group's website showed they had already surpassed their fundraising goal of $8,500 raising $8,657.