Local woman makes marathon effort to beat breast cancer

28 Feb, 2012 11:43 CET

Press release

For immediate release: 28.02.2012

Budding runner Esther Whitten from Shifnal, Shropshire has laced up her running shoes to train for the Virgin London Marathon in aid of Breast Cancer Campaign.

Esther, a community nurse working in Wolverhampton, will join thousands of runners on the starting line on Sunday 22 April, running for Breast Cancer Campaign, because she lost her close friend to the disease last year.

Esther, 37: “I lost my close friend Siobhan to the disease in April last year at the young age of 34 so Breast Cancer Campaign is a charity very close to my heart. Working as a nurse, I also liked the idea of supporting a charity which funds research, which is so important moving forward.”

Esther and Siobhan were friends through their local netball club. She said: “I knew and loved my dear friend through netball. Whether there is an afterlife or not, following her death it never rained after 6pm on a Wednesday – our netball summer league night. I believe she is looking down on us.

“The marathon takes place just two days before the first anniversary of her passing, so I felt like it was meant to be that I ran this year. This one is for Siobhan”, she continued.

Esther has started her training for the 26.2 mile challenge. She said: “I have always aspired to take part in the Virgin London Marathon; it is one of my dream destinations to run! I have started my training and while it is a struggle, I am getting into a routine.”

Esther says that running for charity is a huge motivation. She said: “As well as Siobhan, running for charity is my motivation to keep going with my training. I don’t want to let the charity or the people who have sponsored me down. I am looking forward to raising as much money as I can for Breast Cancer Campaign and hope that everyone will support me along the way.”

Esther, who wants her iPod to play ‘Proud’ by Heather Small as she crosses the finish line said: “So far I’ve raised £2,100 which is amazing and I’d like to thank everyone who has supported me so far.”

To help Esther with her fundraising please visit www.justgiving.com/esther-whitten and donate what you can. You can also text donate by texting wfyw88 then amount ££ to 70070.

If you already have your own place in the Virgin London Marathon, there is no minimum sponsorship amount. If you would like to join our team please contact us on 0207 749 4114 or email  . Each runner will receive a fundraising pack including a Breast Cancer Campaign running vest, sponsorship forms and lots of support from the charity before the event and on the day.

ENDS

Notes to editors

• Breast Cancer Campaign aims to beat breast cancer by funding innovative world-class research to understand how breast cancer develops, leading to improved diagnosis, treatment, prevention and cure
• The Breast Cancer Campaign Tissue Bank, the UK’s first ever national breast cancer tissue bank is a unique collaboration with four leading research institutions to create a vital resource of breast cancer tissue for researchers across the UK and Ireland. Visit breastcancertissuebank.org
• The charity currently funds 86 projects worth over £14.9 million in 37 locations across the UK and Ireland
• Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK and accounts for nearly one in three of all cancers in women
• In the UK, around 48,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year - that’s 130 a day
• Visit breastcancercampaign.org or follow us at twitter.com/bccampaign