SOUTHAMPTON Common was painted pink at the weekend as thousands donned their running shoes for Race for Life.
The annual event returned to the city on Saturday, July 23, offering five different races for people to take part in.
With the 3k, 5k, 10k, Pretty Muddy and Pretty Muddy Kids, there was no doubt the fundraiser would generate funds and more than £212,000 was raised for life-saving research.
READ MORE: Stuck in the mud! Race for Life's Pretty Muddy race returns to Southampton
Mother and daughter Bernice Coles, 64, and Anna Armstrong, 40, both from Dibden Purlieu, ran the 5k race in memory of lost loved ones.
Bernice said: "We have both lost quite a few people to cancer so it is a way of giving back.
"It’s important to fund the research as funding a cure is just as important."
Anna added: "Ultimately, the aim is to find a cure, and the more money we raise the more research we get."
And they’re off! The 5k @raceforlife in Southampton is underway 🏃🏻♀️💗 pic.twitter.com/EbCHloaZrw
— Maya (@journo_maya) July 23, 2022
Friends Donna Wainwright and Angeline Lingham from Romsey ran the 10k together.
Donna said: “I took part in memory of my parents. They both had cancer and they died from cancer.
“It’s nice we have completed it as a lot of people are affected by cancer.”
Angeline said: “It is amazing over £212,000 has been raised. I think people respond well to events like this.”
Oncologist and cancer campaigner Dr. Hugo De La Pena led the charge during the 5k race to fundraise towards more clinical trials that give him more ‘kryptonite’ to help patients beat cancer.
He said: “Cancer is not invincible and there are two ways to think about it. We can either bury our heads in the sand or we can tackle it and everyone here today has chosen to tackle it.
“We are receiving new wonder drugs, or as I call it, ‘kryptonite’, because of events like Race for Life.
“And it would be easy for me to say ‘well done’ to everyone taking part and to talk the talk but I need to run the run as well and that’s why I’m taking part today too.”
READ NEXT: Thousands join the fight against cancer at Race for Life - In pictures
Event manager, Georgina Ainsworth described this year’s event as “wonderful.”
She said: “There’s such a lovely atmosphere here in Southampton and it’s always a privilege to help provide people with a special way to honour those they’ve lost, to celebrate those who are beating cancer, and to help fund treatments of the future to help more people survive cancer.”
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