A time to celebrate ... and to remember

Jul 16 2007 by Paul Loraine, The Journal

WOMEN who have been touched by cancer turned up in their thousands yesterday to take part in a charity run.

The Race for Life, at Newcastle’s Exhibition Park, involved women from all over the region and raised around £280,000 for Cancer Research UK.

Among the runners was cancer survivor Gail Allan, 44, who was diagnosed five years ago with a particularly rare brain tumour.

She said: “The type of tumour I had doesn’t happen very often in adults.

“There have only been 11 cases in the last 25 years but it’s usually found in children.

“I had chemotherapy and an operation and managed to come through it.”

Mrs Allan, a sales assistant from Killingworth, has been touched by cancer more than once, as she was diagnosed within months of a good friend.

She continued: “My good friend Esme, who was 28, had cancer at the same time as me so we supported each other.

“I used to baby-sit for her. She died three years ago so as much as I’m thankful that I survived, today is about remembering her.

“I think a lot of people are frightened to talk about it, but it’s only a word.

“It affects so many people. When you read all the messages on the backs of people’s shirts, it brings it home. It’s an emotional day and it really gets to you.”

The Race for Life began in 1994 with 2.4m women across the UK raising more than £140m since the events began.

By the end of the races, one in the morning and another in the afternoon yesterday, more than 3,000 North-East women had taken on the 5km course.

The morning race was started by breast cancer survivor Sheila Brown, from Westerhope.

And a further group of women were set on their way in the afternoon by Susan Smith, from Ouseburn Park, Newcastle, who also fought off breast cancer.

Dentist Lesley Cave, 39, of Jesmond Dene, dedicated her run to her sister Paula, who died of skin cancer aged only 34.

She said: “This is my third Race for Life. My sister died after two years living with cancer, so that keeps me going.

“Today has been really well organised and it’s been a nice day for it.”

The winner of the race, finishing with a time under 20 minutes, was Steph Scott, 37, of Elm Bank Road in Wylam.

The physics teacher, who runs for Tynedale Harriers, was representing the Wylam branch of Cancer Research.

She said: “For the last three years there have been between 15 and 30 women running from Wylam.

“My mum had breast cancer and her husband had throat cancer, so it has affected me personally.

“It’s been absolutely brilliant today – there are so many women here to show their support.”