AS DAUGHTERS celebrated Mothers’ Day, the organiser of a fundraising run in Ilkley who lost her own mum to cancer called on local women to take part in the charity event.

Sarah Threadgall, 24, is the new event manager for this year’s 5k Cancer Research UK Race for Life event in Ilkley, set to take place on Sunday, July 12.

Sarah began raising money for cancer charities when her own mother, Liz, died in 2009, at the age of just 56. Now she is urging other women to show their love by signing up for the Race for Life this summer.

In 2002, when Sarah was just 12 years old, her mum was diagnosed with breast cancer. Liz had a mastectomy, then underwent chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. She also took part in clinical trials to help research.

However, in September 2008, Liz was told the cancer had come back. This time it had spread to her throat and her brain and she started treatment.

By the end of the following August, Liz, who worked for West Yorkshire Police, was admitted to St James’s University Hospital in Leeds where she sadly passed away the following month.

Sarah said: “She bravely fought her battle and never once complained or asked why it had happened to her. She was still undertaking all the daily tasks of a wife and mother until the week before she passed away.

“I was only 18 and 20 days away from starting an events management course at university, something my mum had always wanted me to do. I felt incredibly lonely and needed something to focus on so I decided to help other families who had been affected by cancer like ours.”

Sarah started to volunteer for cancer charities and took part in a 10k run for Cancer Research UK, raising more than £800. She then found out about the Race for Life events assistant scheme which she joined.

She added: “I was really proud to be working for such an amazing charity and being at Race for Life events really made me realise just how many people are affected by cancer. It showed me just how vital raising the money to fund the research that meant my mum saw me reach my 18th birthday.”

After Sarah left university, and with two years of working as an events assistant, she successfully applied for a full time post with Cancer Research UK as a Race for Life area event manager.

“Through Race for Life I’m able to honour my mum’s memory as well as helping to raise money for Cancer Research UK’s vital research,” said Sarah Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life is a women-only series of 5k runs which raise millions of pounds every year in the quest to help beat cancer.

To enter, visit raceforlife.org or call (0300) 1230770.