Brighton Race For Life runners raise half a million for cancer charity - are you pictured?

9:00am Monday 6th July 2009

By Emily Walker, Chief Reporter

More than 7,500 women and girls of all ages did their bit for charity by taking part in the Cancer Research UK Race For Life this weekend.

This year was the first time runners had the chance to opt for the 10km route around Stanmer Park yesterday, or take part in the 5km runs yesterday and Saturday.

Despite the course being vandalised on both Friday and Saturday night, runners raised more than £550,000 in sponsorship.

Special “donation stations” were set up where people brought in second hand clothes, books, toys, bric-a-brac and other goods that will be distributed to the charity's local shops.

Shirley Thorpe, manager of the Shoreham branch of Cancer Research UK, said: “We’ve collected more than 300 bags of clothes, brick-a-brack CDs and DVDs. Each one will fethch £15 to £20 for the shop, so that’s a lot of money going to the Shoreham shop on top of everything raised through the race itself.”

In total, more than £20,000 worth of unwanted goods were donated to the stalls and will go to local branches of Cancer Research.

Some of those taking part were doing it memory of a loved one or colleague who died from cancer while others were doing it to celebrate their own personal battle and victory over the disease.

Pink cards spelling out their own personal reasons for being at the event were fastened to the back of almost every person there.

They included Louise Collis, 25, of Ingram Crescent East, Hove, who regularly runs marathons and 10km events in memory of her aunt Hazel Walsch, who died from breast cancer at the age of 76.

Kate Routley, of Malden Road, Brighton, was also among the thousands making their way around the course.

The 52-year-old had breast cancer diagnosed in 2006 and underwent a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery.

She is now in remission but has regular check-ups to make sure the cancer has not returned.

Nicky Frost, of Bromely Road, Seaford, was running alongside daughter’s Bethany, 10, Jasmine, 11, and their dog Coco, for husband Mike who won his cancer battle 13 years ago.

She said: “Coco is a boy, but he’s dressing as a girl today for his daddy.”

Despite its name, the event is not a race and people were encouraged to choose to either run or walk as they made their way around the course.

Many others were decked out in fancy dress which helped add to the atmosphere of both days.

Eight members of staff from the Brighton and Hove branch of Carewatch donned pink wigs for a work outing to the event to spur on Chris Therin’s sister Wendy when she has an operation to remove breast cancer next week.

Organiser Carly Gibbs said: “There was a really good turnout once again at Brighton with loads of families coming together to do something positive to try and beat cancer.

“We would like to thank everyone who came along and took part and all the volunteers who helped out on both days.

“Although doing the events are great fun and people enjoyed themselves, we now have to focus on the important next stage, which is for people to collect their sponsorship as soon as possible and send it in.

“Even though these are women-only events, the money raised will be used to research all 200 known types of cancer.”

She said: “Over the weekends we had volunteers up at 5am both days working very hard, giving up their time, but the course was sabotaged over night.

“People had been removing the arrows and the pink tape marking out the course.

“It is sad that someone would do that when people know why we are here and that we are trying to do a good thing.”

Damage to the course markings meant women running the 10km course had to cut it short and do 9km instead.

Ms Gibbs said: “I want to thank all the stewards and volunteers who worked extra hard to put it right and thank the ladies who were very understanding, even though they could lose some of their sponsorship if they were sponsored per kilometre.”

The Brighton Race For Life events are among ten events being held across Sussex this summer.

The final two will take place in Chichester on Sunday (july 12) and Worthing the following weekend.

For more details and information about sending in sponsorship, go to www.raceforlife.org or call 0871 641 2282.