Sharen Madge, Strategic Sales Manager at Frazer-Nash Consultancy, shared on LinkedIn:
“Final update before Sunday’s Norwich 10km.
On Sunday I’ll be standing on the start line of the Norwich 10km – something that felt impossible only a few months ago.
Since finding a lump in January, being diagnosed with HER2+ cancer in February, going through chemo from March to May, and then surgery in June, running has been one of the things that has helped me through, getting me outside, keeping me moving, and helping me stay strong.
This Sunday is also the day before I start radiotherapy which will be another big milestone and another step toward getting back to “normal”.
During chemo I was running 150m at a time and walking 350m, repeating it until I reached 5km. After chemo, getting back to 4km felt like a huge win.
Three weeks after surgery I managed 1km. It was slow but it was a start.
Last Tuesday I finally ran 10km again. I changed the route mid-way through to stay near home in case I couldn’t finish, but despite being incredibly hard, I did it.
Today I completed my final run before race day, and I’m so pleased but also aware of the massive journey I have been on. At one of my hospital appointments they said,
‘You are run‑walking on Sunday for the Norwich 10km?’
I said,
‘No… I’m running…’
It made me realize just how much determination the support for this run has given me.
I want to say a massive thank you to everyone who has donated, shared the page, or reached out. Your support has genuinely helped carry me through some very tough months.
A special thank you to my husband, who has also run every training step in my shadow, always checking I’m okay.
Sunday will be emotional, but I’m as ready as I can be.
Just as a reminder – I’m running for Cancer Research UK (CRUK) and RSPCA Norwich, two charities that mean a great deal to me. If you’d like to support my fundraising, here’s the link.”
You can also read: HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: From Fear to a Story of Hope
