A DERRY woman who has lost five members of her extended family to cancer is taking part in a huge charity event this summer for research into the disease.
“My mother lost both her parents to cancer and my father lost a brother and two young nieces who passed away from cancerous brain tumours,” explained Laura Morrison.
“The type of brain tumour my cousins had was very aggressive and became terminal very quickly."
Michaela Bradley and Charlene Griffiths (pictured above) both passed away within nine months of their diagnosis.”
Determined to raise money for Cancer Research UK so that other families wouldn’t have to face what hers did, Laura signed up for the Legenderry Relay for Life last year.
“It was an amazing experience,” she recalled.
“The atmosphere was brilliant. It was more like a festival than a charity event.
“You got talking to lots of other people too and learnt their stories and there’s a great comradery, which you need when it’s 4am and it’s starting to rain.
“If someone had told me a year before that I’d be walking around the track at St Columb’s Park at 1am in a onesie or doing a Zumba class at 8am I would have laughed at them.”
Laura and 12 of her friends and family have now formed a team called ‘Tumourators’ for this year’s Legenderry Relay for Life, which will take place this summer.
This year a cancer survivor joined the team.
“Our team will represent both sides of the story we have so many people who have lost loved ones to cancer, but we have a survivor too,” continued Laura.
“My friend has been in remission for four years.
“It was very scary when she got her diagnosis- a real shock to the system.
“It’s not something you expect to happen and she didn’t have any symptoms.
“But it’s good to see that there can be a positive side to people’s cancer journey.
“We are going to celebrate her life and the fact she has come through it.
“She is going to do the ‘survivor’s lap which will be a very emotional experience.
“It really hit home last year when you saw all the survivors. Cancer can affect anyone of any age.”
Sadly, the mother-in-law one of Laura’s team mates who took part in last year’s event has since passed away from cancer.
“My friend’s mother-in-law took part last year and did the survivor’s lap and she has since died,” she explained.
“It impacts you and it brings home why we are doing this.
“It really does affect everyone.
“I don’t know a family that hasn’t been touched by cancer.”
Last year’s event raised over £140,000 for Cancer Research, despite a target of just £60,000.
It's not too late to enter a team or take part in the opening lap as a cancer survivor.
For more information see the Relay for Life Legenderry Facebook page.
Pictured: Cousins Michaela Bradley and Charlene Griffiths who both passed away from cancerous brain tumours.
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