Battling mum set to tackle Race for Life

A Ribbleton mum who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer aged just 35 will celebrate her recovery by tackling Race for Life.
Sian Smith from Ribbleton in Preston, who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer last year, and took part in last year's race for life while undergoing treatment. She will be running this year's event in JuneSian Smith from Ribbleton in Preston, who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer last year, and took part in last year's race for life while undergoing treatment. She will be running this year's event in June
Sian Smith from Ribbleton in Preston, who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer last year, and took part in last year's race for life while undergoing treatment. She will be running this year's event in June

Mum-of-two Sian Smith last year walked the Cancer Research annual 5K just days after the start of chemotherapy for grade three triple negative breast cancer.

Following her brave fight back to fitness, Sian, married to Darren, is determined to this year run alongside hundreds of inspired women who will take to the course at Avenham Park on Sunday June 19.

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Sian said: “Taking part in Race for Life was emotional last year, but this year it will be even more special to know I have made a full recovery.”

Sian, who works as an assistant manager at Boots first noticed a lump in her right breast as she was getting into the bath.

She said initially she was not too worried - Her GP had advised it was likely to be a cyst. She was referred to a consultant who too assumed the lump was most probably benign.

She was ‘gobsmacked’ when the results of a scan and mammogram revealed she had grade three triple negative breast cancer.

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Sian, who is mum to Taylor aged 18 and 14-year-old Harry, said: “Thank goodness I went to the GP immediately and was seen so quickly at hospital.

“The tumour was growing at such a rate that another few weeks and it could have been a totally different story.”

Doctors told Sian she had an aggressive form of cancer, which was growing rapidly.

She underwent surgery to have the small lump removed as well as lymph nodes to check if the cancer had spread. Tests showed the cancer had already spread to the lymph nodes and Sian needed a further operation.

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She was also put on a course of chemotherapy, completing her treatment in September last year.

Determined to keep some sense of normal, she worked part-time while undergoing 25 sessions of radiotherapy.

She added: “I would urge anyone who notices a change to their body to see a GP immediately as it saved my life.

Since being treated for cancer, she has found out her paternal grandmother was treated for breast cancer and there is a history of cervical cancer on her mother’s side of the family.

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As a result of her family history, Sian is going to b referred for genetic testing..

A Race for Life Pretty Muddy event will be held at Avenham Park on Saturday June 18 and a 10k Race for Life will also be held on Sunday June 19.

Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life, in partnership with Tesco, is an inspiring women-only series of 5k, 10k, Pretty Muddy and Marathon events which raises millions of pounds every year to help fund life-saving research.

lTo enter Race for Life today visit www.raceforlife.org or call 0300 123 0770.