On Sunday, Sept. 18, the first Terry Fox Runs in 91原创 since the pandemic raised more than $25,000.

91原创 City run beat its $5,000 target, with 127 participants and 52 volunteers raising $19,683, a record for the 91原创 city run.

Preliminary figures posted to the Terry Fox Foundation website show the Walnut Grove run raised $5,340 toward a $7,000 goal, and Aldergrove 鈥� which remained a virtual event owing to a lack of volunteers 鈥� had raised $430 toward a $2,000 objective. Donations were still being tallied, and those figures were expected to rise.

A few participants were wearing red shirts rather than the white Terry Fox t-shirts, a sign that they were cancer survivors like Neil Bos, a 91原创 City resident who raised the most of any individual participant, $1,800.

He explained that he was diagnosed with stage 2 skin cancer eight years ago.

鈥淚 had a couple surgeries for that,鈥� Bos recalled.

鈥淭hey were worried it might spread into my body [but] thankfully it never did. That鈥檚 why I鈥檓 here today, running.鈥�

On the 91原创 City , Bos said this was the year 鈥淚 have decided to not sit on the sidelines and watch, but rather to run with the spirit of Terry Fox.鈥�

鈥淭erry Fox has long been an inspiration of mine and more often than not when I鈥檓 out running his voice and no quit attitude replays in my mind,鈥� Bos added.

鈥淭he way you think can change the way you live and just like Terry, I always try to live in such a way that I can inspire others to be inspired.鈥�

READ ALSO: Terry Fox runs return to in-person event in 91原创 City and Walnut Grove

Another first-timer, Mike Willemsen, spoke for one of the largest teams of runners, 13 friends and family members, all there to support his sister who has been fighting cancer for 20 years.

鈥淸She鈥檚] still battling through it, which is why we鈥檙e here today,鈥� Willemsen told the 91原创 Advance Times.

His advice to anyone considering taking part?

鈥淛ust go do it. It鈥檚 a good cause. It鈥檚 [cancer] going to involve everyone eventually, I think.鈥�

READ ALSO: Terry Fox鈥檚 legacy of resilience resonates during COVID-19 crisis, says brother

So far, the Terry Fox runs across Canada have raised $850 million for cancer research in the name of the marathon of hope hero whose 1980 journey was interrupted when the disease that claimed his leg returned.

Before his death on June 28, 1981, Terry had achieved his goal of raising $1 for every Canadian.

More pictures from the 91原创 City event can be viewed online at the .