PHILADELPHIA -- For the hundreds of people dressed mainly in their underwear, the "brief" fun-run around XFINITY Live! wasn't about setting a personal best time in a 1-mile run.

It was about extending the lifetime of a friend or family member battling an incurable disease. 

On an unseasonably warm Saturday afternoon, approximately 815 participants stripped down for Philadelphia's Cupid's Undie Run to raise more than $205,000 for the Children's Tumor Foundation and Neurofibromatosis, or NF, research. 

NF is a genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow on nerves inside and outside of the body.

Now in its fifth year, the event has raised more than $800,000.

But the fun-run is only part of the 4-hour party that raises awareness of NF. 

"We are here to put the hilarity in charity and we bare because we care," said Dan Frenia, organizer of the Philadelphia Cupid's Undie Run. For an extra chance to donate, participants had the opportunity to have their bodies painted and for the men, their chest hair waxed. 

I'm with Cupid: Hundreds run in their undies in Philly fundraiser

Marlton resident Terri Wilson, who's Hope for Ella team raised nearly $27,000, summed up the day in three words: hope, community and vulnerability. 

The hope is that one day her daughter, Ella, 10, who suffers from NF, can live a happy, healthy life without fear of what is growing in or on her body.

"Every time she complains about a headache, every time she complains about a pain in her leg, it could mean another tumor," said Wilson.

Ella has tumors in her brain and in both of her optic pathways, which has taken the sight of her left eye.  

This was the third year the Hope for Ella team has participated in the run. The team was awarded a trophy for being the top fundraising team in the region.

"Ella thinks it's hilarious that grown-ups run in their underwear," Wilson said.

"It really comes down to being a celebration of our wins against NF," said Frenia, whose son and wife have both been diagnosed with NF.

For Frenia, the wins include getting his son through chemotherapy and having the tumor stay stable, and getting his wife through chemo and having the tumors not reappear.

Donations are still being accepted at cupidsundierun.org.

Tim Hawk may be reached at thawk@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @photogthawk. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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