Brave Karen joins runners on 5km Race For Life

May 17 2008 by Jule Wilson, The Journal

A BRAVE North woman who survived both leukaemia and breast cancer is to start her home town’s Race for Life event tomorrow.

Karen Hall, of Dunston Road, Dunston, Gateshead, will set 3,000 women on their way at the 5km, women-only event to raise money for UK Cancer Research.

The 41-year-old will be taking part in the challenge with her sister Joanne Allman-Taylor, 39, who gave Karen a special gift by being her bone marrow donor when she was barely out of her teens.

Karen said: “I was just 20 when in 1987 I was diagnosed with leukaemia. Joanne was 18, and I am very grateful to her.

“We’re both very much looking forward to the race. It was actually her idea to take part in the Race for Life, which I have now done a number of times and we both absolutely love it.

“It’s a great event with a great atmosphere and you see everybody in fighting spirit and supporting one another.

“It’s amazing to be starting it as well because it is my local race, but also because I feel I haven’t done anything special. I’ve had cancer a couple of times but you don’t have a choice but to just get on with it so I always feel strange if people say I’m brave.”

Karen, now human resources manager at the George Washington Hotel in Washington, Tyne and Wear, first became ill in 1987. She had been feeling tired and her gums had also been bleeding so she went to see her dentist. But overnight, her body had become covered in bruises.

Karen said: “I thought I’d be in and out of hospital in two minutes. I hadn’t even packed my pyjamas and the diagnosis was an incredible shock to say the least.”

Karen was treated at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary and got on with her life for 17 years. But in 2003, at the age of 37, she was diagnosed with breast cancer after finding a lump taking a shower.

Karen said: “I felt devastated because I knew what going through the treatment would be like.”

The women’s mum, Jackie Allman, 62, has also survived the disease and will be cheering her daughters on at Saltwell Park tomorrow.

Karen said: “My mum looked after me throughout my treatment. She was wonderful. She came to all my hospital appointments and cooked all my meals. She understood how I was feeling and knowing that my mum had survived the disease really helped me. I wouldn’t have been able to cope without mum and my family.

“Saltwell Park is also a very beautiful course and I’ve really enjoyed my training which I’ve mostly done jogging along the River Derwent for the last six weeks.”

:: The Gateshead Race For Life starts at 11am but participants will be taking part in a collective warm-up in the grounds of Saltwell Park from 10am.

Races all summer

TOMORROW’S event is the second local race in the series, which is also due to be held at Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Durham and Newcastle throughout the summer.

To register to take part in Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life visit www.raceforlife.org/north or call 0871641 2278.

To sponsor Karen visit www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/karenhall