"I got cancer - and then Mum was diagnosed too" - West Sussex woman's story

Kate, from Pulborough, West Sussex, said: “Mum was told she had secondary cancer in her brain. Further investigations were carried out to find the primary site and it turned out she had lung cancer.

“There was nothing they could really do for her, apart from making her comfortable. Mum declined all treatment and just wanted to go home, So, we arranged that for her and I stopped working to care for her, along with my son Josh, and her friend Sylvia Enticknap. Mum died three weeks later, aged 76.”

The family were devastated at such a shocking and sudden loss, but immediately took positive action by signing up for Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life in her name and raised £1,000.

That was last year and now the family is ready to race again, for Sheila, for Kate herself and for every other family affected by cancer. Kate, her partner Andy Bell, 48, daughter, Daisy Bell and Daisy’s best friend Freya Clayton, both nine, are taking part, along with the family’s dog Selly. Selly was a gift to the family from Kate’s mum just before she died.

Kate’s cousin Kelly Bailey-Smith and her children Abigail,13, and William, nine, took part in Race for Life last year and are joining Team Kate this summer.

Kate, 44, is still in treatment for stage three breast cancer. She underwent a mastectomy in September, began two years of chemotherapy and completed 15 consecutive and very tough days of radiotherapy. She also had her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed and has ongoing treatment to protect her bones.

She said: “Last year’s Race for Life was such an emotional day, but also a wonderful one – lots of lovely people and there was a lovely spirit to the occasion. We’ve signed up for the Horsham event on June 2 this year and we’re all looking forward to it.”

Kate’s family own Woodfalls Stud at Rudgwick, now run by Josh, and until recently, they also ran the Anchorage Care Home in Pulborough, but Kate remains closely involved in both.

She said: “The chemo, on top of losing mum was tough. But I carried on working as if I stopped it would have been ten times worse.

“The hardest part was the radiotherapy because it burnt my skin. It was pretty horrendous. But I’m through that now and I’m doing OK.”

The first signs of Kate’s illness were when she developed a pain in her hip. She went to the GP and mentioned she also sometimes had pain in her left armpit.

“I thought it was probably because I had been shifting hay for the horses. But the doctor found a lump in my breast,” she said.

She was started immediately on oral chemo Abemaciclib, a drug Cancer Research UK helped develop, and also had Letrozole – the charity trialled the first drug in this class.

Although she is making good progress, there are some ‘blip’ days when Kate has ended up in hospital. But she has continued to work on the stud farm, mucking out the horses when she can, and resting up when she needs to, as well as helping at the care home.

Also joining the family in Horsham Park will be dachshund Selly, wearing some fetching butterfly wings.

“Mum bought Selly for us and she has been amazing – a massive rock,” said Kate. “She never leaves my side – she’s like a bit of Mum looking out for me. She knows when there’s something not right. She’s like the horses – we have a mare, Kiki and a foal, Mekong - they are incredibly sensitive to how you are feeling.”

Kate is also grateful to the team at St Martha’s Oncology Centre at Mount Alverina Hospital in Guildford which has looked after her through her treatment, particularly her consultant Dr Panos Koliou and her surgeon Mr Farrokh Pakzad.

Team Kate has already raised £1200 for Cancer Research UK and aim to increase that before the big day!

People of all ages and abilities are welcome to take part in Race for Life in Horsham and at other events around Sussex, including Brighton, Worthing, Crawley, Eastbourne and Hastings. Mums, dads, sons, daughters, grandparents and friends can choose from a 5k or 10k, or in the afternoon take part in Pretty Muddy - a 5k mud-splattered obstacle course. There are also Pretty Muddy and Pretty Muddy Kids options at Brighton and Crawley.

Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life, in partnership with headline sponsor Standard Life, part of Phoenix Group, is an inspiring series of 3k, 5k, 10k, Pretty Muddy and Pretty Muddy Kids events which raise millions of pounds every year to help beat cancer by funding crucial research.

Lynn Daly, Cancer Research UK’s spokesperson in Sussex, said: “We’re really grateful to Kate and her family for their support. They have experienced the devastation cancer can have on a family and know how important it is to keep funding more and better research.

“No matter how cancer affects us, life is worth racing for. Sadly nearly 1 in 2 of us will get cancer in our lifetime.** Race for Life has the power not only to transform lives, but to save them. We’re proud that Race for Life has already helped double survival rates in the UK.  

  “We’d love for people from all over Sussex to join us at Race for Life. There is an event for everyone - and we mean everyone - walk, jog, run or take on the course however it suits you. It’s a chance to feel the power of moving together with fellow Race for Lifers and enjoy that moment you cross the finish line.

“Whether people are living with cancer, are taking part in honour of, or in memory of, a loved one with the disease, or are in it for the medals or just for the fun of fundraising, there is a place for everyone.” 

  Since it began in 1994, more than 10 million people have taken part in Race for Life, funding 30 years of hope and progress. The UK’s biggest fundraising event series, which raised £33m in 2023, is returning with a shift in attitude this year, determined to shine light on the life-saving research that Race for Life has funded and issuing a rallying cry for people to sign up to support the scientific breakthroughs of tomorrow.

Money raised has helped develop radiotherapy which benefits more than 130,000 people with cancer in the UK every year. Cancer Research UK funded scientists led the development of the Human Papillomavirus Virus vaccine, which is expected to prevent almost 90 per cent of cervical cancers in the UK. The charity also funded many large clinical trials looking at the effectiveness of the drug tamoxifen and the research shaped the way the drug is used to treat breast cancer today. 

  Andy Curran, Chief Executive of Standard Life, part of Phoenix Group, said: “We are incredibly proud to continue as headline sponsor for Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life, with the opportunity to encourage participation across the country.

“By working to raise funds for life-saving research, we can move towards a future where people live longer and healthier lives, free of cancer.”

To sponsor Team Kate click here

To enter, visit raceforlife.org    

Sussex Race for Life events 2024:

Horsham, Horsham Park

June 2 – 3k, 5k

Brighton, Stanmer Park

June 29 – Pretty Muddy and Pretty Muddy Kids.

June 30 - 3k, 5k, 10k.

Worthing seafront/Steyne Gardens

June 16 – 3k, 5k

Eastbourne, Sports Park

May 26 – 3k, 5k, 10k.

Crawley, Tilgate Park

July 20 – 3k, 5k, 10k, Pretty Muddy, Pretty Muddy Kids

Hastings, Alexandra Park

June 9 – 3k, 5k, 10k