A MOTHER battling cancer plans to run 100 miles despite having had half a lung removed.

Louise Bartha, 46, from Hove is fundraising for Macmillan Cancer Support after she was supported by the charity following a skin and lung cancer diagnosis.

Having run the Brighton 10k in November, she is gearing up to do the Brighton Half Marathon on Sunday and the London Marathon in April, despite having half her left lung removed in an operation called a lobectomy.

She also plans to run the Worthing 10k and the Great South Run among other races, adding up to a total of more than 100 miles.

Louise, mother to Dylan, 14 and Tate, 11, said: “I started running and taking my health more seriously after being diagnosed with melanoma in 2016 as it was a kick up the butt to get fit.”

Louise worked for the Rockinghorse children’s charity for many years and is now a freelance writer.

She said: “Luckily it was caught in time and I had a skin graft operation – it was all over quite quickly. In November 2018 I was found to have a basal cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer that rarely spreads. They removed it there and then and told me not to worry, so I felt fine about it.

“But a few weeks later there was a massive lump on my neck in the area of my lymph nodes. It turned out to be a cyst that had popped on my thyroid gland. During the investigations I had a CT scan that picked up something on my lung.

“A few months later, I was booked in to have a lung resection, where they remove the tumour from the lung. At this point they thought it might be metastatic melanoma, which is very hard to treat – they were talking about immunotherapy treatment.

“But when I got the results I learnt it was another primary cancer – lung. We were over the moon at first that it wasn’t metastatic melanoma, but brought straight back down to earth as it slowly sunk in. I was gobsmacked and didn’t know what to do with myself.

“Straight after getting this news my husband Scott took me up the Macmillan Horizon Centre, which we’d heard about from Claire, the Macmillan skin cancer nurse who had been looking after me since my first diagnosis.

“We walked in and the volunteer we spoke with was amazing – she was so welcoming and kind. She left us to sit on our own for a bit, as we’d had a bit of a shocker.

“After a while she gently asked how she could help. Because I’m a fact-based person I wanted information, so she gathered all the relevant literature that would help answer my questions.

“I had counselling there, which helped me face what I was going through. Most importantly it helped me to find a way to talk to my kids about everything. My husband was referred to the four-week partner course, to help him manage his own anxieties. He was having to get on with things and keep the family ticking over whilst this was all happening.

“I went back to the Horizon Centre before my second operation and met with Nikki, who is a Macmillan thoracic nurse. She was amazing and answered the many questions I had. She told me who my consultant would be, gave me information about what happens next, how I was going to feel after the operation and how long the recovery time would be.

“Nikki rang me before the operation to ask how I was feeling and when I came out of surgery she asked after me. It was lovely – she also chased some results for me that were weeks overdue and were causing lots of anxiety, but she sorted it all out quickly. Without her filling in the gaps about my treatment and side effects I would have been completely lost.

“We now use the Horizon Centre to wait for appointments at the Sussex Cancer Centre, as they message you there when it’s your turn to be seen. I have to have check-ups every six months. Sometimes you have to wait a few hours and it’s a more comfortable, relaxing place to be.

“I am raising money for Macmillan because I’m going to need them for years.

“Their support is invaluable – it’s hard to imagine what it would have been like if they weren’t there. They have made such a huge impact on my recovery and I want to make sure other people in my situation get the support they need.”

Sarah Coxhill, Macmillan area fundraising manager, said: “Louise’s running challenge is incredible, and we are so grateful she’s raising money for Macmillan as we rely almost entirely on public donations. Cancer can affect every part of your life, not just your health. The number of people being diagnosed is increasing, so thanks to supporters like Louise we can be there to help those that need us.”

To donate: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/louisebarthas100milechallenge