7,350 women – all friends for Life! (with slideshow and full list of entrants)
JUST two months after being diagnosed with cancer, Delbir Claire took on the challenge of completing this year's Race for Life.
The 41-year-old is still recovering from thyroid cancer but she was determined to take part.
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in the pink: Michelle Wilson, Katie Allen, Lynn Allen, Heather Stubbs, Karen Burgess, Jo Wood and Kaylee Allen were among the 7,350 women taking part in this year's Race for Life
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team effort: Clare Rothon, Julie Rothon, Delbir Claire, Molly Jennings and Billie Bailey.
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EARS TO YOU: Audrey Broadhurst, Ann Broadhurst, Sally Morris, Rosie Morris, Emily Broadhurst, Molly Armstrong and Roma Armstrong.
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girl power: Elaine Bissell and her daughter, Katie, 14. Right, Sally Preston and Charlotte Willson.
In an added show of strength, she will return to work as a teaching assistant at Bemrose Community School next week.
The mother-of-two, of Crompton Street, Derby, said: "There's no point moping around. I'm going to beat this.
"I believe that if you're positive in your thinking, positive things happen."
Another woman who took part in the race to mark her battle against cancer was Elaine Bissell, who has run it five times since falling ill with breast cancer six years ago.
She was given the all-clear by doctors in March last year.
Together with her 14-year-old daughter, Katie, the 45-year-old, of Deepdene Close, Church Gresley, hoped to raise several hundred pounds in sponsorship.
She said: "You just try to get through every day. I was very lucky that I was diagnosed very early after finding a lump."
While many women at the event were looking to the future, others were reflecting on the past.
Among them was Heather Stubbs, 53, who ran in memory of husband Jim. He died of bowel cancer in January, aged 62.
She was joined by her daughter, 28-year-old Karen Burgess, and a group of friends.
Heather, of Sheen, said: "Jim didn't look poorly, nobody could believe it. He was fit, he was a farmer.
"I miss him, I just can't believe he's gone, it doesn't seem real."
She said taking part in the race and being surrounded by others affected by the disease had given her an emotional lift.
"It's comforting, it is a help," she said.
Together, runners such as these helped make the event Derby's best-attended Race for Life ever.
Organiser Helen Webster said 7,350 women had taken part this year, compared to around 6,500 last year.
She said: "This year we hit our capacity of 3,675 people on both days for the first time.
"To get so many ladies from Derbyshire taking part is just amazing.
"The event started in London in 1994 when 684 women took part and it's just grown and grown."
Comments
by Sarah, Swad
Monday, May 11 2009, 2:52PM
“I did the race for life on Sunday. I want to thank all the volunters for there help and for keeping us going. It was a fantastic atspemia, it sad that so many people are affected by cancer. I wanted to thank all my friends and family for there support espically Ben and Mum who there on the day. Lets hope we can beat this together. R.I.P Grandad Charles Wood and Uncle Dave Vine. Two of lifes gentleman.”