Cancer survivor Heather Duff with her minature dachshund Parsnip

Determined supporters vow to Race for Life at Home

DETERMINED fundraisers across the south west are set to  Race for Life at Home and carry on the fight against cancer as the nation looks beyond  lockdown.  

Organisers  Cancer Research UK  have postponed events for the spring and  early  summer to  protect  people’s health as the country  emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic - and this includes the  Race for Life  3K  and  5K.

COVID-19  has caused  a devastating loss of research funding. Cancer Research UK is predicting a staggering £300 million drop in income over the next three years which could put future medical breakthroughs at risk.   

  Now,  undeterred women and men are vowing to raise funds by completing their own Race for Life 5K in their nearest green space  this April.  They plan to take part outdoors either alone or in small, socially distanced groups  to help people with cancer.  People can visit  raceforlife.org  to enter Race for Life at Home for £5*  then receive a Race pack which includes a medal.   

Alison Birkett, Cancer Research UK’s spokesperson for the south west said: “Even whilst we’re still apart, we can unite against cancer.  

 “There are a million reasons to Race  for Life at Home,  to help save lives, for those who have had vital treatment delayed or just for a reason to get off the sofa.  We want people to  run,  walk or jog  5K  and raise money for life-saving research.  

 “The truth is COVID-19  has slowed us down.   But we will never  stop and we are absolutely determined to continue to create better cancer  treatments for tomorrow.  But we can’t do it alone . Sadly, cancer touches almost every family at some point. Every step our scientists take towards beating cancer relies on our supporters.  That’s why we need  as many people as possible  to join us,  to stand united and  do something extraordinary to help beat cancer.”   

Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life, which has been in partnership with Tesco for 20 years, is an inspiring series of 3K,  5K, 10K, Pretty Muddy and Pretty Muddy Kids event which raise millions of pounds every year to help  beat cancer by funding crucial research.  Money raised through Race for Life events funds world-class research to help beat 200 types of  cancer- including bowel cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, testicular cancer, brain cancer, children’s cancers and leukaemia.  

A live broadcast on the Cancer Research UK Race for Life Facebook  and Race for Life Instagram pages on Saturday April 24th  will include an energiser from a fitness expert  as well as inspirational messages of support from people who have been through cancer.  Participants are then invited to  run, walk or jog 5K.  Organisers are also inviting participants to share photos and videos on social media using the hashtag  #RaceatHome 

Every year around  34,800 people are diagnosed with cancer in the South West  and one in two people  in the UK born after 1960  will get cancer in their lifetime. 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.  

Alison Birkett  added: “We’re constantly monitoring the COVID-19 situation and are working hard to move our mass participation  Race for Life events to the autumn and to make sure  they can go ahead safely and with all necessary COVID-19 guidelines in  place.

“We’d love to invite as many people as possible to Race for Life at Home this spring, then  physically come together in the autumn to join us for Race for Life.” 

Confirmed Race for Life events are:

August

Exeter Pretty Muddy – Saturday 28 August

Exeter Race for Life – Sunday 29 August

September

Weston Super Mare - 1 September

Swindon Bumper Day - 4 September

Penzance Race for Life - 15 September

Yeovil - 26 September

October

Cheltenham Pretty Muddy 2 October

Cheltenham RFL - 3 October