Local runner’s marathon effort to beat breast cancer in memory of Mum
Press Release For immediate release: 14 February 2011 Press contact: Louise Garrahan, Media Relations Officer, Breast Cancer Campaign, DD 0207 749 3724, Email: lgarrahan@breastcancercampaign.org Local runner’s marathon effort to beat breast cancer in memory of Mum Budding runner Claire Parkin from Prenton, Merseyside has laced up her running shoes to train for the Virgin London Marathon in aid of Breast Cancer Campaign. The Senior Administrator at NHS Wirral will join thousands of runners for the 26.2mile race on Sunday 17 April in memory of her mother Gweneth Downey who sadly passed away from breast cancer in January 2009. Claire said: “My mum was diagnosed with breast cancer in her forties. Treatment was successful but the cancer returned and Mum spent the next 13 years battling various forms of cancer before she passed away in 2009, aged 56. I started running to take my mind off my mum’s illness and completed a number of runs in her memory, running a total of 56 miles - one mile for every year of her life. I’m not an experienced runner so my family and friends knew how much of a challenge it was for me.” She added: “Before Mum died I made a promise to her that I would run a marathon one day in aid of breast cancer research. What possessed me to say such a thing I’ll never know, but it's not a promise I intend to break, so I’m honoured to run for Breast Cancer Campaign as it’s a cause very close to my heart. Breast cancer has also affected my grandmother and auntie, so I am very aware that I or other family members could possibly be affected in the future. I intend to raise as much money as I possibly can for the charity, so I hope lots of people will sponsor me for this challenge and help Campaign continue funding vital breast cancer research.” Frank Field MP for Birkenhead, has given Claire his full backing for the running challenge. He said: ““It’s fantastic that Claire in my constituency is running the London Marathon for Breast Cancer Campaign. Funding breast cancer research is such an important cause as this disease affects so many people across the UK. I wish Claire well with her fundraising and good luck for the run. I’m sure the local community will be fully behind her.” To help Claire reach her fundraising target of £1500 please visit www.justgiving.com/Claire-Parkin0 and donate what you can, This year around 48,000 people will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK and sadly approximately 12,000 will die from this disease. So if you have a guaranteed place in this year’s Virgin London Marathon and would like to make a difference to the lives of all those affected by breast cancer, please join Katy on Campaign’s team. For more information, please call the Events team on 0207 749 4114 or visit www.breastcancercampaign.org. If you have your own place there is no minimum sponsorship amount and each runner who signs up will receive a fundraising pack including a Breast Cancer Campaign running vest, sponsorship forms and lots of support from the charity on the day. Ends Picture caption: Claire Parkin 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 • Currently it supports 84 research projects, worth over £15.9 million, in 31 centres of excellence 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, nearly 48,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year - that’s 130 a day • Visit www.breastcancercampaign.org • Read Chief Executive Pamela Goldberg’s blog http://pamelagoldbergblog.blogspot.com/
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