Last Sunday, despite me suffering from a bad cough and my Mum with her bad arm, we joined a 1000 other females, young and old, to take part in the Race for Life at Windsor to raise funds and awarenss for Cancer Research.
Mum hadn’t managed to train for this race, as she did two years ago, but she was still determined to do it. The most she had walked over the last couple of months was a mile along the coast when we were on holiday in Crete. Despite this, we set off in a sea of pink t-shirts, leggings and tutus, around the 5k course. Race for Life started as a charity run but nowadays there are runners, joggers and walkers. We walked for the most part, albeit quickly and then broke out into a jog every now and then for 100m or so.
As well as the numbers pinned to our fronts, lots of women were wearing the RFL pink piece of paper on their backs saying who they were running for. Reading some of these, you realise just how much we are all affected by cancer. What’s the betting we all know at least one person who has suffered, whether or not they survived. I’m not ashamed to admit that I had a few tears, particuarly when a couple of ladies passed us whose loved ones had died just in the last 7 days.
I don’t know all the stats for cancer but the lady on the PA system was talking about higher survival rates nowadays, although those suffering has also risen. Mum remembered the time when she and Dad went to see a film in the early 1950s at their local cinema with their ticket money going toward cancer research. Apparently, the pre-film trailer promised that with their help cancer would be eradicated within 30 years!
I think one of the many issues to overcome is lifestyle. Yes, treatments these days mean more people survive but our poor lifestyles mean that more people suffer in the first place. Diet, processed foods, smoking, drinking, sun damage, pollution, chemicals in our foods, make up and toiletries, and so on, all contribute. Preventative measures really are the key. Education is imperitive. Can you believe we even saw three women taking part who were smoking!!!
Anyway, we completed the 5k in 58 minutes, and Mum jogged over the line. I’m so so proud of her. Not bad for a 77 year old (going on 57!).
Well done for everyone who has taken part in a Race for Life this year. We’re doing good.
