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MOBBERLEY MUM IS CALLING ON PEOPLE TO RACE FOR LIFE AT HOME

A mum from Mobberley, whose daughter was diagnosed with cancer as a baby, is calling on people across Cheshire to Race for Life at Home and carry on the fight against the disease in these unprecedented times.

Business manager, Alex Elvidge, 40, was hoping to take part in the Cancer Research UK Race for Life 5K at Tatton Park, Knutsford on Saturday 20 June with family and friends.

The Tatton Park Race for Life is among events which organisers Cancer Research UK have postponed this spring and summer to protect the country’s health during the coronavirus outbreak. The new events will take place in October.

But as the nation continues on lockdown, undeterred women and men are already vowing to carry on and complete a Race for Life at Home challenge at home, in their garden or their nearest green space, to help raise funds for vital research into cancer.

Alex ‘s daughter Grace is living proof of how research into cancer saves lives. At just 11 weeks old, she was diagnosed with an advanced form of leukaemia and placed in intensive care at Manchester Children’s Hospital.

Grace faced months of gruelling chemotherapy, had to be fed through a tube and was hooked to machines to help her breathe. She spent much of the first year of her life in hospital, but she has since made a full recovery and is now in remission.

Alex said: “It was a complete shock when the doctor told us that Grace had cancer. Things were very touch and go and it was a really difficult time. I still get emotional thinking about it now.

“When you’re a new mum you just don’t imagine that this sort of thing could happen to your little baby. It simply isn’t part if the plan.

“Those first few weeks and months are a blur. What should have been the happiest time of our lives turned into one of the toughest times.”

Thankfully, Grace’s story is one of survival. After successful treatment, she is now enjoying life as a healthy, happy and sporty eight-year-old.

Alex said: “My husband Mark and I are so proud of Grace. She’s grown up to be a lovely little girl who is confident, kind and a bundle of joy. She loves taking part in activities at school, especially dance classes.

“We are extremely grateful for the medical treatment and scientific research that has helped her get this far. I was determined to make some good come out of Grace’s cancer diagnosis by sharing my experience and supporting the work of Cancer Research UK.

“I hope that others will be inspired by Grace and see how research into cancer really does save lives. I would encourage everyone to support Cancer Research UK and take part in Race for Life at Home if they possibly can.

“We’re all going to be spending a lot of time indoors this spring so it feels good to take back some control and do something positive to help people who are going through cancer now.”

Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life, in partnership with Tesco, is an inspiring series of 5K, 10K, Pretty Muddy and Pretty Muddy Kids events which raise millions of pounds every year to help beat cancer by funding crucial research.

Thanks to the generosity of people across the North West, Race for Life participants across the region last year raised over £2 million to support vital research to develop gentler and more effective treatments for cancer – a disease that will affect one-in-two people in the UK at some stage in their lives.

Many of the scientists and researchers funded by Cancer Research UK are currently being redeployed to help in the fight against Covid-19, including assisting with testing. By helping to beat coronavirus, the charity can lessen the impact it is having on the care of cancer patients.

Anna Taylor, Cancer Research UK’s spokesperson for Cheshire, said: “We are hugely grateful to Alex for sharing Grace’s inspiring story. At a time when it feels like everything is at a standstill, there is one thing that hasn’t stopped, cancer.

“Our priority as a charity is ensuring that people affected by cancer are getting the support they need right now.

“But we are already getting people asking about doing Race for Life at Home because they don’t want to see the charity lose out on vital funding. It’s truly humbling to see the response.

“So from their homes, we’d love for supporters to join us and Race for Life at Home in these challenging times. From a run or 5K walk around the garden to limbo in the living room, there is no wrong way to Race for Life at Home. With no entry fee, people might choose to twerk, limbo, star jump, squat, skip, dance, or come up with their own novel way of taking part and share it with friends. The message is very much that ‘while we might be apart, we’re doing this together’.

“Those lucky enough to have a garden may choose to make use of it but whatever people decide to do, we are immensely grateful for the support, now more than ever. If the idea takes off, we could be looking at hundreds of people in Cheshire stepping forward to Race for Life at Home and perhaps collecting sponsorship to do so.”

People can visit raceforlife.org and sign up free for ideas on how they can create their own Race for Life at Home challenge. And the Cancer Research UK Race for Life Facebook page will help people feel energised with weekly live workout sessions. Organisers are also inviting participants to join the Race for Life at Home community by sharing photos and videos on social media using the hashtag, #RaceForLifeAtHome.

Every hour five people are diagnosed with cancer in the North West of England*. But the good news is more people are surviving the disease now than ever before. Cancer survival in the UK has doubled since the early 1970s and Cancer Research UK’s work has been at the heart of that progress.

Anna continued: “Cancer is still happening right now and we want to do everything we can to help give people more tomorrows with their loved ones.

“At a time when we’re having to keep apart from each other, there is still a way to unite. We’re urging everyone who has supported Race for Life in the past to please continue supporting us. Sadly, cancer touches almost every family at some time.

“Race for Life is a hugely moving experience as people remember loved ones lost to cancer, celebrate the lives of those dear to them who have survived or support those going through treatment.

“We encourage those choosing to Race for Life at Home to participate in whatever way they like and there are lots of ideas on the Race for Life website. We appreciate that the current situation has resulted in financial uncertainty for many people, so people should only contribute sponsor money if they feel able to.”

Research UK’s life-saving work relies entirely on the public’s generous support. The charity was able to spend over £30 million last year in the North West on some of the UK’s leading scientific and clinical research.

New dates for Race for Life at Tatton Park have been set for October. The Pretty Muddy Kids, Pretty Muddy 5K have been rescheduled for Saturday, October 3 and the Race for Life 5K and 10K events have been rescheduled for Sunday, October 4.**

Visit raceforlife.org or call 0300 123 0770. Join in and share with #RaceForLifeAtHome

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