Katie’s 10k mission for cancer awareness

A Sheffield-born woman has marked the third anniversary of a life-saving operation with a challenging run for a cancer charity.
 
Katie Thorpe (29), originally from Sandygate but now living in London, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006 aged just 27. And now to raise awareness of the disease and, also, say thank you to the hospital that helped save her life she has signed up to Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity’s 10k run.
 
As part of the charity’s special month-long Men’s Cancer Campaign, the 2009 Run in the Park on 12 July at Graves Park involves a 10k race and 3k family fun run and Katie was keen to get involved to highlight to people, particularly men, the importance of early diagnosis.

Says Katie, whose mum works for the charity as director of fundraising: “When I was diagnosed I had just celebrated my 27th birthday. It was an enormous shock to be told I had breast cancer. Obviously, my family were devastated and the years that followed were a very difficult time.
 
“Because of my mum’s job, I have always been quite self aware and knew about cancer and what to look out for. In fact, I had been to a fundraising ball with my mum for Weston Park and mentioned to her that I had found a lump and she suggested I go to the doctors to be checked out. At first, they were sure it was a cyst but after three months I felt like it had increased in size so I went back and asked to be referred to a specialist. I had a biopsy and was diagnosed quite soon after.”
 
After undergoing a lumpectomy in London a couple of weeks later, Katie came back home to Sheffield’s Weston Park Hospital to start chemotherapy which lasted for three months followed by a ten-week course of radiotherapy.
 
Added Katie: “I am in a good place now and, fingers crossed, the treatment went well. I am just on checks every four months but the reason I have been treated so effectively is because I caught the cancer early.
 
“I really want to help raise the profile of the importance of early detection, especially for men who seem to find it more difficult to talk about these kind of health issues. Men can be quite reluctant to check themselves and go to the doctor, especially if it is for something personal or embarrassing. I want to use my story to let them know that if you catch it early, cancer can be treatable. If left it can be a killer. My experience has really shown that.
 
“I absolutely hate running but my boyfriend is in the military, currently in Afghanistan, and I said to him before he left that I would get fit while he is away so we can go running together. I thought the Run in the Park was the ideal way to boost my training as well as help the charity’s Men’s Cancer Campaign.”
 
To raise awareness of the issues surrounding male cancer and support the diagnosis, treatment and care of men with the disease, Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity’s Men’s Cancer Campaign runs until 12 July 2009. It includes a number of fundraising events particularly aimed at men such as golf days and football tournaments. It culminates in the Run in the Park event which is open to all.

To find out more or to register visit http://www.wphcancercharity.org.uk , call 0114 226 5751 or email lyndsey.raynor@sth.nhs.uk.