Race For Life: Brighton

August 26 is a day etched on Emma Rayner’s memory – the day she was diagnosed with cancer, aged just 25.

But this year, having conquered the disease, that date will take on a new meaning when she marries her fiancé Stuart Taylor.

And before her big day, Emma, 27, will take part in Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life in Brighton.

Emma, of Waterloo Street, Hove, said: “It’s really important to me that something positive comes out of a negative so I want to help raise awareness about cancer generally.

“The date of my wedding is pure co-incidence but it is a significant milestone for me.”

Emma, a legal secretary, took part in Race for Life before she was diagnosed and again last year, when she was in treatment.

She said: “When I first did Race for Life, I was one of those people who knew about cancer and wanted to do my bit to help. But the second time I did it was so much more emotional.

“It meant so much more that I was even able to do it and that all those other women, although the didn’t know it, were raising money to help people like me. You see it through very different eyes when you have been through a cancer experience.”

Emma was diagnosed with breast cancer in August 2010 after finding a lump. She saw a GP and was reassured she was too young to have breast cancer but referred to the hospital as a precaution.

However, a biopsy confirmed it was breast cancer and she underwent a double mastectomy, chemotherapy and hormone treatment.

Emma said: “When I was given the diagnosis I was in shock. The first thing I thought was ‘I’m never going to be able to breast feed’, even though no-one had even mentioned a mastectomy at that stage. My next thought was ‘Am I going to die’?

“I think I’m one of those ‘right, let’s get on with it’ people, so that’s what I did. It was tough and frightening and certainly no walk in the park but once I knew what would happen, it wasn’t as scary as I thought it was going to be.”

Emma had fantastic support from her family, good friends and of course Stuart whom she will marry in the village of Ringmer in August.

She had to give up her job as a family law case worker while she was in treatment but hopes to return to that one day.

Emma is grateful for the treatment she received and is passionate about raising awareness about cancer and furthering the work of Cancer Research UK.

She would love women and girls to join her and fill every place in Stanmer Park for the Race for Life on Saturday 30June 30 or 1 Sunday July.

Cancer Research UK’s Race For Life in partnership with Tesco is an amazing women-only series of events, which raises millions of pounds every year for life-saving research into 200 types of cancer – helping men, women and children survive.

Emma said: “You don’t have to be a good runner to take part – the important thing is to get involved and help raise money for Cancer Research UK.”

Race for Life is non-competitive. Women can choose whether to walk, jog or run a 5k, or in some venues, a 10k route. Most are able to walk 5k in an hour and all women are welcome, walking solo or as part of a group.

In 2011, 5,458 women took part in Race for Life in Brighton and helped raise a fantastic £313,763. This year’s organisers want 6,000 women and girls to join the two Stanmer Park events and help raise £331,783 for vital research.

By uniting – and enlisting the support of the men and boys in their lives – women across Brighton can make a stand against cancer, a disease which affects 41,000 people in the South East* every year.

Suzi Dent, Race for Life events manager for Brighton, said: “Come on ladies – please enter Race for Life in Sussex today. It’s all of us versus cancer and we need you to join the fight as soon as possible.”

She added: “We know many women want to take part in Race for Life but are worried they won’t be able to complete the course. We want to reassure them that Race of Life is not about being fast or fit. Instead it’s a celebration of sisterhood and hope.

“Most women are able to walk 5k in an hour while chatting and having fun. The really startling fact is that in the same period of time, around five people in the South East** will be diagnosed with cancer.”

Cancer Research UK receives on Government funding for its ground-breaking research. So money raised through Race for Life is crucial to the pioneering work of doctors, nurses and scientists who are fighting on all fronts.

Thanks to research into cancer, hundreds of thousands of lives have already been saved. With help from the people of London, Cancer Research UK intends to save many more.

Suzi added: “We are very grateful to everyone who took part in Race for Life in Sussex last year and in the past. Thanks to them Cancer Research UK has been able to fund much-needed research. But the battle against cancer never stops and for this reason we need them to return to the fight in 2012 and bring new recruits with them.”

To join Sussex versus cancer, enter Race for Life at www.raceforlife.org or call 0871 641 1111