Horley mum facing third bout of cancer treatment to run half-marathon (From Redhill And Reigate Life)

Horley mum facing third bout of cancer treatment to run half-marathon

2:28pm Friday 21st September 2012 in News

A Horley mum facing her third bout of cancer treatment is in training for a half-marathon in aid of a charity dedicated to beating the disease.

Linda Langdale, 54, will be taking part in the Royal Parks Foundation half-marathon in London’s Hyde Park on Sunday, October 7.

Linda, an accountant, had barely run in her life before becoming ill, and got the running bug as part of her quest to keep fit.

Now she is asking anyone who has secured a place in the half-marathon to raise money for research into the causes, treatment and prevention of cancer by joining her running in Cancer Research UK’s sports team. Linda has taken part in Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life before and run a 10km event.

But her London parks run next month will see her moving up a gear.

She said: “I thought well, I’ve done a 5k and a 10k, and this is only double that, so I should at least have a go.”

Linda, mum to Freya, 21, and Rianna,18, was first diagnosed with cancer in January 2007. She had what was thought to be a large ovarian cyst. She underwent a total hysterectomy and then discovered she had a very rare cell tumour for which there is no protocol of treatment.

Although doctors warned her the cancer might return, they were confident it would not be for 20 or 30 years. To ensure she was closely monitored, she began having six-monthly blood tests to check her hormone levels. In 2010, Linda and husband Tom headed off for the trip of a life-time, hiking the Inca trail in Peru. When she returned in August, blood tests led to a scan which showed a tennis ball-sized tumour in her abdomen.

Linda said: “I hadn’t felt ill, I didn’t have any symptoms so it was a bit of a shock.”

At the same time, Linda’s mum, Colette, was diagnosed with lung cancer and died within two months.

Linda said: “The second half of 2010 was a pretty torrid time.”

She underwent a second operation to remove the tumour and was about to start chemotherapy when doctors decided it would not be effective.

They have continued to monitor her instead.

A further scan in August this year revealed another small tumour in her pelvic area. Again, Linda is being closely monitored by specialists at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London for this, and feels in good health.

She said: “It is disheartening to be facing my third bout of cancer but I feel fit and positive. “My family has been touched by cancer quite a bit. Both my parents and my grandfather and two of my husband’s sisters died of cancer, an uncle and another sister-in-law have also been affected.”

She said: “Thankfully I’ve had amazing support and encouragement from Tom and my girls, as well as other family and good friends who have helped get me through.

“Every month I donate to Cancer Research UK. I think it’s the best spend there is. Running for them also raises money and it helps keep me fit.”

Linda will be taking part in the Hyde Park event with her work colleague Amanda Long. Cancer Research UK will have around 550 runners taking part in the Royal Parks Foundation half-marathon and hopes to raise more than £230,000.

In the last year, thanks to the generosity of its supporters, the charity spent nearly £25 million in the South-east on its work to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer.

Helen Jackson, Cancer Research UK's senior sports team manager, said: “We’re delighted that Linda is part of our team this year. “It’s thanks to support like this that Cancer Research UK’s doctors, nurses and scientists are able to go on making progress in the fight against cancer.”

She said: “We are keen to hear from anyone who has secured their own place in the Royal Parks Foundation half-marathon but hasn’t chosen a charity to run for yet.”

To sponsor Linda online visit: www.JustGiving/Linda-Langdale For more details about running for Cancer Research UK in the event call 0871 641 2403. Website: www.cancerresearchuk.org