Cancer survivor Kim signs up for race

Feb 4 2008 by Audrey Barton, The Journal

A COURAGEOUS mum-of-two who has survived cancer twice is helping to launch Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life and is inviting other women from the regions to join her.

Kim Henderson, 41, from Whitley Bay, will be one of the first to register for the Newcastle Race for Life event during the regional launch today.

Kim, who underwent a bone marrow transplant and chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukaemia, said: “I feel like running onto the street to get everyone to do their bit to help beat cancer. By signing up and raising money for Cancer Research UK you can help give people with cancer a chance to survive.”

Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life 2008 is the UK’s largest women only fundraising event where women of all ages and fitness levels are invited to come together to walk, jog or run 5k and raise money to help beat cancer.

Kim has been compelled to take part after she was diagnosed with cancer in October 2005, aged 39.

The mother-of-two had just finished breast-feeding her then 10-month-old son Sidney and had been feeling tired, with flu-like symptoms, for a while. Then one morning she felt very dizzy when she got out of bed and noticed that her gums were bleeding.

Kim went to see her GP, who did some blood tests and referred her to the RVI in Newcastle where a consultant confirmed her worst fears.

“I already had a feeling that it would be leukaemia but hearing the words was a shock. I felt stunned,” she said. “The consultant explained that I’d need a bone marrow test so they could give me the right form of chemotherapy. Then she explained what the treatment would involve.”

Kim had to arrange for her family to care for her sons Mitchell, now 12, and Sidney, now three, as she spent the next five weeks in hospital, having chemotherapy. Over the next six months, she spent one week per month in hospital for treatment.

When her chemotherapy ended in March 2006, Kim starting to put her life back together. Then – just four months into remission – a routine check-up showed the leukaemia had returned.

“Hearing that the cancer had come back was terrible. I’d prepared myself for this news but it was still a shock.”

This time, Kim needed a bone marrow transplant. She was lucky and a match was found quickly. She had the bone marrow transplant on December 13th 2006.

Kim took medication until August last year to stop her body rejecting the new bone marrow and she will have to take the penicillin for the rest of her life to help her body fight infection.

But during her treatment, Kim focused on taking part in Race for Life as her goal.

Last year she signed up for the Newcastle event with her friends Sharron Milligan, Shirley Wright, Carol Henderson, Kath Barker and Diane Wright.

“Being diagnosed with cancer can be very isolating but when I took part in Race for Life I saw women all around me who were there because they had survived the disease or because someone they loved has been touched by cancer.

“It was a very emotional event with such positive energy.”

As well as running to celebrate her own life, Kim took part in memory of her mother Brenda Armstrong who died of lung cancer in 2001, aged just 52.

“I feel it’s important to take part in Race for Life for the friends who are still here and the ones who aren’t.”

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Women of all ages and fitness levels are welcome

CANCER Research UK’s Race for Life is open to women of all ages and fitness levels with all money raised going to Cancer Research UK.

You can do it as a walk, jog or run. Last year more then 20,000 women took part in Race for Life events in the region and helped raise over one million pounds for Cancer Research UK’s live saving work.

In 2008 there are 10 Race for Life events taking place at seven venues in the North-East, including Sunderland, Gateshead, Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Durham and Newcastle.

Janet Cooper, Cancer Research UK regional events manager said: "Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life 2008 needs women everywhere to take part and raise money to help us continue our life-saving work. This is why we’re inviting every woman in the North-East to come and join us."

Every week 127 women are diagnosed with cancer in the North-East. Cancer Research UK spends more than £3m each year in the North-East supporting the work of scientists, doctors and nurses who are dedicated to curing cancer by understanding its causes and investigating how best to prevent and treat it.

From today Monday, February 4th, women in the North-East are invited to register to take part in Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life by visiting www.raceforlife.org/north or calling the hotline on 0871 641-2278.