For people of a certain age, Brian’s Run is as much a December tradition in West Chester as the Christmas parade and cold weather.

The annual race is celebrating its 38th year this Sunday at Henderson High School with the five-mile run starting at 1 PM. The route runs through the borough before a swift 400-meter finish around the high school track.

A trio of races for kids will be held as a precursor to the main event.

According to its website, Brian’s Run began in 1978 as a one-time fundraiser to benefit Brian Bratcher, then a 15-year-old football player at Henderson who sustained a life-challenging spinal cord injury during a scrimmage.

Bratcher was paralyzed that year, and the entire community wanted to help.

It organized a race and hoped to raise $500. That first year, 2,000 runners participated, and the effort raised $20,000 to help Bratcher with his expenses. After 1979, he felt he had benefited enough from the proceeds, and asked to have others benefit from the annual event.

The race for years has raised funds for disabled people from the community who need help with physical mobility, seeing, and communication.

In 2009, the race changed from a 10K to a five-miler.

The money raised from Brian’s Run has recently been donated to causes like the One Fund for Boston, which was set up to assist the victims and families of those affected by the Boston Marathon bombings.

Each year, the race has attracted thousands of runners – ranging from locals to international participants – and has been called one of the 100 Great Races by Runner’s World.

Law firms MacElree Harvey, Unruh Turner Burke & Frees, and Buckley Brion McGuire & Morris are among this year’s sponsors.

Click here to sign up for Brian’s Run or to donate.