THOUSANDS of bright pink and brown muddy fundraisers filled Bute Park in Cardiff at the weekend to raise vital funds for Cancer Research UK.
Last weekend saw around 3,000 runners take part in the charity’s traditional 5k and 10k Race for Life events and Saturday saw more than 4,000 children and adults getting messy in Cancer Research UK’s Pretty Muddy event.
The two events are expected to raise around £393,000 for the charity.
Participants on both days included cancer survivors and those who took part in memory of a loved one.
The Pretty Muddy participants faced a number of obstacles including mud pits, scramble nets and space hoppers during the 5k course.
The bell to start the event was rung by sisters Darcy and Betsy Letman, aged eight and six, in memory of their dad, Adam, who died from bowel cancer at the age of 39.
Their mum Rebecca, from Rhiwbina, said she was very proud of her daughters who were only two and four when Adam lost his battle with the disease.
She said: “It was such a shock when Adam was diagnosed. He was so fit and would train all the time – we didn’t expect it at all. He adored the girls and I know he’d be so proud of them.
“They were thrilled to start the event today and it meant a lot for them to do something in memory of their daddy. We had a great day and it was wonderful to see so many people supporting Cancer Research UK.”
The Race for Life saw men taking part for the first time and Chris Elson, from St Fagans, wore a seven-foot Chewbacca costume which took nine months to make.
After the event, Chris said: “It was pretty warm but I want to do it again! As a group, we all raise money for different charities by dressing up and this was the perfect event to wear our costumes and show our support for a great cause.”
Katie Cooze, Cancer Research UK’s event manager for Cardiff, said:
“Every step taken will help bring forward the day when all cancers are cured. Every day, around 52 people are diagnosed with cancer in Wales. Money raised – whether it’s £10 or £100 – will help Cancer Research UK scientists find new ways to treat cancer and save more lives.”
Thanks to the generosity of its supporters, Cancer Research UK was able to spend around £4 million last year in Wales on some of the UK’s leading scientific research.
One in two people in the UK will be diagnosed with cancer at some stage in their lives, 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.
Cancer Research UK’s Race For Life, in partnership with Tesco, is an inspiring series of events which raise millions of pounds every year to help beat cancer by funding vital research.
