People Like You

She has created an extraordinary montage of photographs of the people who've inspired the women to run.  Race for Life has been raising money for Cancer Research UK for over a decade.  Hundreds of the events are organised around the country.

Hearts of Triumph was unveiled at Cancer Research UK's Cambridge Research Institute on Wednesday 27th June. 

Charles died of lung cancer in 1995 after a long illness.  Last year Victoria decided to take part in Race for Life for the first time, which was when her grandmother told her she had recovered from throat cancer.  Nellie was diagnosed in 1984 but is now in remission.  Victoria was too young at the time to know what was going on.

Nellie and Charles Gilham

Since then Victoria has started working for Cancer Research UK in their Cambridge office.  She took part in Race for Life at Ferry Meadows in Peterborough on Wednesday 27th June.

Victoria says the event is quite an emotional one, because you can see who the women are running for - and not all are survivors.  But she finds it an inspiring event as she feels she's helping the cause and she enjoys being all girls together.

Sarah Wand, who is from St  Neots, contributed a photograph of her sister Michelle. Michelle is holding her baby Amelie, who was only a year old when her mother died.

Five months after Amelie was born, Michelle was told she had cervical cancer.  Initially the doctors were very optimistic as the cancer can respond well to treatment.  But a short while after she had completed chemotherapy and radiotherapy it returned and the doctors could no longer help her.

Michelle with Amelie

Sarah and Michelle's parents help to look after Amelie while Michelle's husband is at work.  This year Sarah, along with her two other sisters, her mother and even three year-old Amelie, took part in Race for Life in Stamford.

She thinks Hearts of Triumph is brilliant and shows how cancer affects all, from the very young to the old.  It also illustrates just how many people the disease touches.