Norwich: Mum Joins Race For Life
11 May 2012, 07:09 | Updated: 15 December 2017, 15:07
A Mum from Norwich who had breast cancer is urging women to sign up for this year's Race For Life in Suffolk and Norfolk.
58-year-old Rosalyn Pain from Sprowston, will be taking part in the 5k event at Norfolk County Showground next weekend alongside her daughter, Louise, and more than 9,000 other women.
Cheering them over the finishing line will be Rosalyn's husband Philip, who is himself a survivor of bowel cancer.
Rosalyn is calling on mums, daughters, sisters, grandmas and friends across the region to join together in the 5 and 10k events.
Rosalyn, who works for the administration and clerical team at The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008 after a routine mammogram showed she had calcifications in her breast. Further tests at Norwich and Norfolk Hospital found Rosalyn had cancer.
"I was a bit shell-shocked because I really wasn't expecting it. The doctor gave me a choice between a full mastectomy and a lumpectomy and I chose the latter," said Rosalyn.
In August 2008 Rosalyn had the tumour removed, followed by three weeks of radiotherapy. She also took the drug Tamoxifen for several months, but gave it up because of side effects.
"It was a tough time, but I was lucky that I had a lot of support from my family and friends," said Rosalyn. "Apart from when I had surgery, I managed to go to work throughout my treatment. I also willingly took part in a Cancer Research UK clinical trial at Addenbrookes called SEARCH, which was looking at risk factors in breast cancer."
However in early 2012 Rosalyn's cancer recurred in her scar tissue. She needed another lumpectomy and was put on the drug Arimidex. She now has annual follow-up.
Rosalyn also lost her dad to cancer at the age of 58.
"I loved taking part in Race for Life. I really wanted to give something back, and it was an emotional experience seeing all the women who had been affected by cancer," she said.
Without research there can be no progress in the fight against cancer, so it is thanks to research that both Philip and I are alive today."
Race for Life is non-competitive. Women can choose whether to walk, jog or run the 5k or 10k route to raise money for Cancer Research UK.
Gemma Turpin, Cancer Research UK spokesperson said: "It's all of us versus cancer and we need as many women as possible to join the fight as soon as possible. Gemma added: "We are very grateful to everyone who took part in Race for Life in Norwich last year and in the past. Thanks to them Cancer Research UK has been able to fund much-needed research. But the battle against cancer never stops and for this reason we need them to return to the fight in 2012 and bring new recruits with them."
Cancer Research UK receives no Government funding for its research. So money raised through Race for Life is crucial to the work of doctors, nurses and scientists who are fighting cancer on all fronts.
You can enter the Race for Life 5k or 10k at www.raceforlife.org or call 0871 641 1111.
Race for Life events in East Anglia:
Norwich, Norfolk Showground - Saturday 19 May 10am (10k) & 2pmNorwich
Norfolk Showground - Sunday 20 May 11am
Ipswich, Chantry Park - Sunday 17 June 11am
Bury St Edmunds, Nowton Park - Sunday 24 June 11am & 2.30pm