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Fundraising is the real winner in Race for Life
Susanna Wilkey
DESPITE torrential rains around the country, the sun shone down on Regent’s Park at the weekend for Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life.
More than 9,000 women took part on Saturday and Sunday and the charity is hoping to smash its fundraising target of £1.3million.
Women of all ages came together to run or walk 5km around the park to raise money for the fight against cancer – supported by sons and husbands on the sidelines.
Cancer sufferer Jackie Cull, one of the highest fundraisers in the country, took part on Saturday with her mum and lots of friends, family and work colleagues.
She said: “It was a really good atmosphere. The weather did hold out and we had sunshine all the way round. It wasn’t even that muddy. Then it poured with rain afterwards.
“My target started at £500 and it has just gone up and up. So far I have raised £14,109.73. I am really chuffed and I hope to be in the top 10 fundraisers nationally.
“I did not expect to make that much – the money just kept coming in. Most of it came from sponsorship but I also ran a raffle and I got lots of prizes donated from local businesses and celebrities.
“People have been amazing, someone held a cake sale for me and everyone helped out. It is incredible I have raised so much – people have been so generous.
“The race itself was really good, it was fun and nice to come to Regent’s Park to make a day of it. It was a really good atmosphere, really nice, everyone is in a good mood and everyone is willing you on.
“I start chemotherapy again on August 9, and it is nice that this has come to an end before that. It has taken quite a lot to do this but I am glad I have done it – it is a real achievement.
“My message to people now is please get your money in because it is so vital to the charity and the cause.”
All the women took part in an en masse warm-up to stretch and get their muscles ready for the jog around the park. The race kicked off at 11am and a train of women followed the course round while race officials shouted helpful encouragement.
Messages on people’s backs said who they were dedicating their race to and emotions ran high.
Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life organiser Rebecca Lomax said: “The Regent’s Park events were both great days and I hope everyone who took part really enjoyed it but we mustn’t forget the reason why we all came together – to raise money to help more people survive cancer.”
The charity is asking every woman who took part to ensure that it is also a success in terms of fundraising to help Cancer Research UK beat cancer.
The money will fund scientists, doctors and nurses based throughout the UK in their world-class research to improve understanding of the disease and find out how to prevent, diagnose and treat different kinds of cancer.
Since Race for Life began in 1994, women across the country have raised more than £140million for Cancer Research UK.
For more information on how to return sponsorship money or to make a donation you can visit www.raceforlife.org
susanna.wilkey@hamhigh.co.uk
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