Cancer victim Julie takes part in 10k run

9:00am Sunday 20th July 2008

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A WOMAN battling cancer is set to run 10km for Cancer Research after her life was turned upside down by the disease.

Julie Rooke, 47, from Leigh, was used to being completely on top of every aspect of her life until she was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago.

That same year her mother was treated for bowel cancer, one of her closest friends was treated for breast cancer, and she lost an uncle to lung cancer.

She said: “It was a horrible year – a year of not being in control, which for a control freak, was really tough.

“I worked in the City for 25 years. I stayed fit by running and yoga and indulged my passion for scuba diving whenever I could, so nine months of treatment really knocked it out of me.”

Mrs Rooke, a finance manager for an investment bank, underwent surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy before returning to work.

However, she later discovered she had developed secondary cancer in the ovary. She needed a full hysterectomy. She said: “I won’t let cancer defeat me. I plan on dying of old age and nothing to do with cancer.”

Mrs Rooke had to put her wedding plans on hold after she was diagnosed with cancer, but finally married her partner, Chris, in May.

They now plan to run 10km in Highlands Park, Chelmsford, together as part of her plans to fight back against the disease.

She said: “I’ve always been the outdoor type and running is one of the things I missed when I was undergoing treatment. So, this is part of our getting fit campaign. It gives us a target to aim for and at the same time does good by raising money to beat this terrible disease.”

Cancer Research’s plans to get 50,000 men and women nationwide to run 10km and raise just over £5million to help fund the charity's research. Mrs Rooke hopes as many people as possible will join her on the day.

“Chris and I will be at Hylands Park on October 12 and we would love it if as many people as possible joined us there,” she said.

“The money raised will go to help me and others just like me.”

To enter for the run visit www.run10k.org/local or call 0871 6412401.