Radcliffe girl’s cancer fight
PAULA RADCLIFFE will mark World Cancer Day this week by taking part in a mass virtual bike race, just days after revealing that her own daughter underwent chemotherapy last year.
The former world marathon record holder is taking part in the Solidarity Challenge against Lawrence Dallaglio, Mo Farah and countless other stars to raise funds.
In August her 14-year-old girl Isla was diagnosed with a germ cell tumour which required chemotherapy in a hospital in southern France where they live. ‘There was a lot of guilt when I found out, that I hadn’t realised sooner,’ said the four-time Olympian.
Isla is back at school but it has been a harrowing year for Radcliffe, whose father Peter died last April following Covid-related complications.
Radcliffe admitted in an interview with The Times: ‘Sport helped me. Everything I’ve always done has been to a plan. Once we had a chemo plan I was OK, I could support her.’