A MUM whose daughter was diagnosed with cancer as a baby is calling on people to Race for Life at Home during the coronavirus lockdown.
Business manager Alex Elvidge, 40, from Mobberley, was hoping to take part in the Cancer Research UK Race for Life 5K at Tatton Park on June 20 with family and friends.
The event has been postponed until October, but women and men are vowing to complete a Race for Life at Home challenge at home, in their garden or their nearest green space.
Alex ‘s daughter Grace is living proof of how research into cancer saves lives.
Grace with her parents Alex and Mark
At 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 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 has since made a full recovery and is now in remission.
Alex said: “It was a complete shock when the doctor told us 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 don’t imagine this sort of thing could happen to your little baby.”
After successful treatment, Grace is now enjoying life as a healthy, happy and sporty eight-year-old.
Alex added: “We are extremely grateful for the medical treatment and scientific research that has helped Grace get this far.
“I hope 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 can.”
Grace on stage at Race for Life
Anna Taylor, Cancer Research UK’s spokesman for Cheshire, said: “We are hugely grateful to Alex for sharing Grace’s inspiring story.
“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.
“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.
“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.
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