MUMS, daughters, sisters and friends braved heavy rain showers to raise money in the fight against cancer last night (Wednesday).

North Weald Airfield was filled with runners and walkers, many in pink or fancy dress, for the five and 10 kilometre Race for Life in aid of Cancer Research UK.

The race was started by 14-year-old Kalin Thomas, who is in his second year of chemotherapy for leukaemia.

Among those taking part was Marie-Helene Way, 59, of Loughton High Road, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in October and had been for chemotherapy treatment the day before.

“I’m doing it specifically for pancreatic cancer, because it’s the least funded and least recognised,” she said.

“All cancers are serious and terrible, but I think when you’ve got one and you know there are not as many cures, it becomes much more poignant.”

Her team, who named themselves Mums’ Warriors, included her daughter Jodie and friends from Loughton and Chingford, and hoped to raise about £700.

Another group, Mums on the Run, made up of mothers with children in the Reception class at Upshire Primary School, Waltham Abbey, ran the 10k route.

Runner Nancy Campling, 37, said: “I’m glad we’ve done it. Our achievement was to do it in under an hour – we did it in 56 minutes.

“I like running in the rain, because it cools you down, but I felt sorry for the people watching.”

Fellow mother Natalie Scorey, 30, added: “It’s for cancer and we all know someone affected by it.”

To donate to Cancer Research UK, visit donate.cancerresearchuk.org.

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