A MEDICAL secretary, who is in remission from cancer and is caring for two family members with the disease, is taking part in the Colchester Race for Life to raise money for a cancer charity.
Katherine Gower, a medical secretary working for Gosfield Ward at The Lakes in Colchester, is gearing up to participate in Sunday's Race for Life event to raise funds for Cancer Research UK.
Katherine's journey has been marked by her own battle with acute myeloid leukaemia, a form of blood cancer, which she was diagnosed with in 2019.
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Following her diagnosis, she underwent three rounds of chemotherapy and subsequently underwent an intense week of chemotherapy before receiving a life-saving stem cell transplant.
Today, she is in remission, but she faces the challenges of Adult Onset Stills Disease, a condition that affects her joints and may have been triggered by the transplant.
Despite the obstacles she has faced, Katherine remains determined to support cancer research and make a difference in the lives of others.
Cancer Research UK holds a special place in her heart as she now provides physical and emotional support to her mother and grandmother, both of whom are battling cancer.
Her grandmother was diagnosed with kidney cancer last year, while her mother, who is her grandmother's primary caregiver, received a stage four Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnosis in February this year.
For Katherine, this year's Race for Life holds a deeper significance as it will mark her return to fundraising activities after her cancer diagnosis.
She said: "This will be my first event since my cancer diagnosis in 2019, before which I regularly took part in fundraising activities.
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"I have decided to walk the route for this year’s Race for Life to avoid any injuries. I will gradually build up my strength so I can jog it next year.
"Cancer Research UK is incredibly close to my heart, which makes me more determined to raise as much money as I can for this amazing charity."
She has previously participated in Race for Life three times and completed the challenging Pier to Pier Walk for St Helena Hospice, pushing herself to walk seven miles on two occasions and 14 miles on another.
To sponsor Katherine and contribute to the cause, visit at rb.gy/vxowh.
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