Mum won’t let cancer or sight loss stop her in her tracks
GNR BECKONS FOR DEBBIE
A “POSITIVE, courageous and inspirational” grandmother who is registered blind, has multiple sclerosis and is living with an incurable form of breast cancer, is not letting anything stop her from making every day count.
Debbie Edwards, 36, is running the Great North Run to raise funds for James Cook University Hospital – despite still undergoing chemotherapy.
Debbie is embarking on the challenging run in September and is organising an additional 5K charity fun run which includes a stretch through Kirklevington Grange prison.
She is putting her running shoes back on alongside five friends and her husband and guide runner Gary and funds raised will go to the Trinity Holistic Centre at the hospital.
Debbie, from Stockton, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a condition which has caused her sight to deteriorate so much she was registered blind, when she was 19.
In 2021, just two years after completing her first marathon in 2019, she was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer and was told it was incurable. She said: “Naively I thought it would be a year of chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy and ringing the bell at treatment end.
“Some six months of chemotherapy, three surgeries and 15 rounds of radiotherapy later, little did I know that this time there would be no bell, and I was looking at treatment for the foreseeable. But I’ve stopped counting the days and now focus on making the days count and living my best life.”
Debbie is insistent on living her best life and for her that means running, spending time with granddaughter Ruby and taking her dog for a walk.
She said the most difficult thing has been updating friends and family on her condition, especially as her mum, Sharan Sibley, recently celebrated five years all clear after beating breast cancer. The 36-year-old also lost her father-in-law to lymphoma suddenly in 2016 and three years ago her stepchildren lost their mum to breast cancer. Despite everything, Debbie is determined to stay positive and regularly writes in her blog ‘Just Another Challenge’ to raise awareness.
Debbie is eager to raise as much as possible for the Trinity Holistic Centre which has supported her throughout her cancer treatment, providing complementary therapies and a place where she can go to “feel a little bit normal and a little bit calm”.
The Great North Run is set to be a huge challenge as the chemotherapy leaves Debbie feeling tired and affects the skin on her feet. But, with the support of her ‘GNR Dollies’ and her husband, she is looking forward to pacing herself around the 13-mile course.
Kathryn Almond, head of complementary therapy at Trinity Holistic Centre, said: “We are all in awe of Debbie and her dollies – to tackle this challenge whilst going through cancer treatment is inspirational and means the world to us as a charity.
“It’s been a challenging few years financially due to the pandemic and so we are very grateful that in turn we can use the money raised to support the growing demand from other patients and families affected by cancer. We wish them all good luck for the day.”
The 5k has been made possible thanks to support from Muddy Roads, HMP Kirklevington and Stockton Striders AC. It takes place on 1 September at 6.30pm and the route is predominantly flat with a mix of trails and paths which take you in and around the prison grounds.
Debbie is encouraging as many people as possible to run it or walk it to help raise funds and also to raise awareness of the importance of regularly checking your body and getting checked out early if you have any concerns.
She added: “Our aim is to raise £1,200 for the centre, but knowing how much they go above and beyond I would like to smash this target, so I’m reaching for the stars.”
You can register for the charity fun run 5k at www.muddyroads.co.uk/ event/debbies-gnr-dollies-5km/ and donate at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/debbiesgnrdollies.
Debbie’s blog is available at justanotherchallengedebbieedwardsbreastcancer.home.blog