CHESTER CANCER SURVIVOR SUPPORTS RACE FOR LIFE AT HOME

A nurse from Chester is celebrating her first year in remission from ovarian cancer by launching Race for Life at Home, to help raise vital funds for Cancer Research UK.

Kirsty Shand is calling on people across Cheshire to take on a challenge at home, in their garden or their nearest green space to help raise funds for life-saving research – a cause which is very to her heart.

The 28-year-old, who works as a ward manager at the Countess of Chester Hospital, is living proof of how research into cancer really does save lives.

In October 2018, Kirsty was walking home from a night out with friends when she fell backwards into a fence. Although hospital scans showed no injuries from the fall, they unexpectedly revealed a growth on her ovary which turned out to be cancer. After successful treatment, she is now cancer-free and enjoying life as a happy and healthy young woman.

Kirsty said: “At first I thought it was just a drunken injury. My back ached all over so I took some painkillers, but when they didn’t help I decided to see a doctor. Things spiralled on from that point. I was sent for scans to see if I’d broken any bones, but when they unexpectedly revealed a cyst on one of my ovaries it was a total shock. At the time, cancer really was the last thing on my mind.”

Over the next six months, Kirsty underwent a string of further investigations before doctors decided that they would need to operate.

She said: “Doctors thought the cyst looked like a form of ovarian cancer that wouldn’t respond to chemo. That was when my world changed. I remember being in the bath and frantically googling cancer survival rates on my phone. The results started to scare me but I knew I had to stay as positive as possible and be grateful that treatment was available, even if the only option was a full hysterectomy to remove my womb and ovaries.”

Kirsty made the decision not to freeze her eggs before undergoing a five hour operation at Liverpool Women’s Hospital in March 2019 to remove her reproductive system and part of her bladder. Thankfully, the surgery was a success she is now living life free of cancer.

She said: “It was very difficult to understand at first and I kept thinking ‘Why me? What have I done to deserve this?’  At the time, I didn’t want too many people to know about what I was going through and held back from telling my mum or sister until before the surgery. I’ve always been the strong one in the family and didn’t want to worry them.

“Looking back now though, it almost feels like the stars aligned for me. If I hadn’t had that drunken stumble into the fence, things could have looked very different for me. I’m just grateful that the scan picked up the cancer and I was able to get into surgery before it had spread.”

One year after treatment, Kirsty is back working full time at the Countess of Chester Hospital where she is a ward manager in the orthopaedics department. She is now marking her recovery by supporting Race for Life at Home and inspiring others to carry on the fight against the disease in these unprecedented times.

She said: “A year on from my treatment, I’m feeling stronger than I ever have done but more funding still needs to be put in to help support research into cancer and make sure that more people like me survive this awful disease.

“I hope that others will be inspired by my story and support Cancer Research UK by taking part in Race for Life at Home if they possibly can. We’re all going to be spending a lot of time indoors this spring so it feels good to take back some control and do something positive to help people who are going through cancer now.

“Race for Life has a special place in my heart, and I’ve taken part for many years. It’s a very emotional and uplifting event, as so many people take part to remember loved ones or celebrate their own survival. With many of this year’s Race for Life pushed back to later in the year, and I wanted to do something now to support this charity that means so much to me and my family.”

Thanks to the generosity of people across the North West, Race for Life participants last year raised over £2 million to support vital research to develop gentler and more effective treatments for cancer – a disease that will affect one-in-two people in the UK at some stage in their lives.

Many of the scientists and researchers funded by Cancer Research UK are currently being redeployed to help in the fight against Covid-19, including assisting with testing. By helping to beat coronavirus, the charity can lessen the impact it is having on the care of cancer patients.

Anna Taylor, Cancer Research UK’s spokesperson for Cheshire, said: “Kirsty’s story is one of hope and inspiration. At a time when it feels like everything is at a standstill, there is one thing that hasn’t stopped, cancer.

“Our priority as a charity is ensuring that people affected by cancer are getting the support they need right now. But we are already getting people asking about doing Race for Life at Home because they don’t want to see the charity lose out on vital funding. It’s truly humbling to see the response.

“So from their homes, we’d love for supporters to join us and Race for Life at Home in these challenging times. From a run or 5K walk around the garden to limbo in the living room, there is no wrong way to Race for Life at Home. With no entry fee, people might choose to twerk, limbo, star jump, squat, skip, dance, or come up with their own novel way of taking part and share it with friends. The message is very much that ‘while we might be apart, we’re doing this together’. There is no wrong way to get involved and join our community.

“Those lucky enough to have a garden may choose to make use of it but whatever people decide to do, we are immensely grateful for the support, now more than ever. If the idea takes off, we could be looking at hundreds of people across Cheshire stepping forward to Race for Life at Home and perhaps collecting sponsorship to do so.”

People can visit raceforlife.org and sign up free for ideas on how they can create their own Race for Life at Home challenge. And the Cancer Research UK Race for Life Facebook page will help people feel energised with weekly live workout sessions. Organisers are also inviting participants to join the Race for Life at Home community by sharing photos and videos on social media using the hashtag, #RaceForLifeAtHome.

Every hour five people are diagnosed with cancer in the North West of England*. But the good news is more people are surviving the disease now than ever before. Cancer survival in the UK has doubled since the early 1970s and Cancer Research UK’s work has been at the heart of that progress.

Anna continued: “Cancer is still happening right now and we want to do everything we can to help give people more tomorrows with their loved ones.

“At a time when we’re having to keep apart from each other, there is still a way to unite. We’re urging everyone who has supported Race for Life in the past to please continue supporting us. Sadly, cancer touches almost every family at some time.

“Race for Life is a hugely moving experience as people remember loved ones lost to cancer, celebrate the lives of those dear to them who have survived or support those going through treatment.

“We encourage those choosing to Race for Life at Home to participate in whatever way they like and there are lots of ideas on the Race for Life website. We appreciate that the current situation has resulted in financial uncertainty for many people, so people should only contribute sponsor money if they feel able to.”

Cancer Research UK’s life-saving work relies entirely on the public’s generous support. The charity was able to spend over £30 million last year in the North West on some of the UK’s leading scientific and clinical research.

Visit raceforlife.org or call 0300 123 0770. Join in and share with #RaceForLifeAtHome