A KEEN runner has praised Brighton and Hove Albion’s official charity for helping her stay active during cancer treatment.

Jane Wilkes, from Hove, is one of more than 300 people to benefit from Albion in the Community’s Brighter Outlook project which provides free, personalised physical activity for people living with and beyond cancer.

She was referred to AITC by her Macmillan nurse around the same time as she started chemotherapy treatment.

The plan was for AITC’s cancer fitness coaches to support her to stay active during and after treatment.

Research has shown that staying active is safe in most cases of cancer.

The benefits can include less fatigue and improved mood, reduced disease progression and decreased risk of recurrence.

For Jane, 56, staying active and setting herself running goals during what was a very difficult time of her life was important.

She joined the Brighter Outlook running group and began training for the BM10k, the 10k race on Brighton Marathon weekend.

She said: “It’s had a fantastic impact on me.

“Working with Ros the Brighter Outlook coach was great because she knew exactly how much each of us could and couldn’t do and how to pitch the training accordingly.

“It was super important for me to continue running through treatment because it is what I love doing and what makes me get up in the morning.

“I needed to keep that going as much as possible so that I didn’t lose a sense of the real me which you can do as a cancer patient.

“Having a running goal kept the normality of day to day life going amidst all the treatments and drugs and hospital visits.”

Jane and her fellow Brighter Outlook runners successfully completed the BM10k race – something which Jane said was different to any of the 75 official races she had finished before her treatment began.

She said: “It was almost a year to the day after I had done my first 50-mile race and it was so much harder.

“The sense of accomplishment was very different and I was prouder of having done this 10k then even when I did my first one.”

Now she is encouraging other people to sign up for AITC’s support, saying: “I would recommend Brighter Outlook to anyone who has the chance to access it.

“It is not about what you can’t do but what you can do.”

Brighter Outlook is funded by NHS Brighton and Hove Clinical Commissioning Group and supported by Macmillan Cancer Support.

Albion in the Community is holding a cancer health and wellbeing event at the American Express Community Stadium on November 21 between 10am and 4pm.

It is aimed at people who have, or have had, cancer.

A range of experts will give talks on a cancer-related subjects, all designed to help people who have had cancer to live well.

There will also be workshops and information stalls.

For more about Brighter Outlook or to book your free place at the cancer wellbeing event, call 01273 668591 or email brighteroutlook@albioninthecommunity.org.uk.