A Baldock mum-of-two undergoing chemotherapy for incurable cancer is among the inspirational runners set to take part in this year’s Race for Life in aid of Cancer Research UK.

The Comet: Julia Lawley, wearing the blue shirt in the centre, with her team The Gin Club at a previous Race for Life.Julia Lawley, wearing the blue shirt in the centre, with her team The Gin Club at a previous Race for Life. (Image: Archant)

Julia Lawley – who has taken part in the annual run at Stevenage’s Fairlands Valley Park for more than a decade – thought she had beaten cancer two years ago, after being diagnosed with stage two breast cancer in late 2013.

But in January last year she was confirmed as having stage four cancer in her spine, and this month she learned it had spread to her hip and shoulder bone – meaning she has started another course of chemotherapy.

The 40-year-old, who has taken part in more than 10 races now, hopes to be at the starting line in Stevenage again on July 9 – and she has raised more than £400 so far to help save lives.

She told the Comet: “My aim in sharing my story is for people not to assume that cancer is an older people’s diseases, or just feel sorry for me. Cancer can, and does, happen to anyone.

“I’m an unlucky statistic. I was a normal 36-year-old working mum when I was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer.

“At that point I was hoping I’d be cured. The odds were in my favour – people can get up to stage three cancer, be cured and go on to live long and happy lives.

“But when it gets to stage four, things get a bit trickier – it’s not curable, but it’s treatable up to a point. Organisations like Cancer Research UK are trying to find more treatment options for those like me who have stage four cancer.

“The more treatment options there are, put bluntly, the longer I’ll live. My daughter Imogen is 11 now and my son Felix is nine – no-one wants to be in our position.”

She added: “Doing the Race for Life this year will be hard – but raising money is important. I know too many people who are living with stage-four cancer – like me, dying for a cure.

“One in two people wil be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime – every single pound you donate makes a difference to Cancer Research UK’s groundbreaking work, so please sponsor me, Imy and Felix now.”

To sponsor Julia – who is running as part of her group The Gin Club – see fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/julias-fundraising-page-37.

For more about the Race for Life or to sign up, see raceforlife.cancerresearchuk.org.