Mum’s race tribute to cancer victims

MISSING you . . . Mckenzie holds a photo of his late dad David, with mum Paula

A Chadderton carer who lost her husband and father to cancer will set off thousands of runners raising money to fight the disease in July.

Paula Wood (42) will be invited on stage to join in the countdown and start the participants off at the Race for Life at Heaton Park in aid of Cancer Research.

Paula’s husband David Wood died on February 11, aged 42.

She had already lost her dad Fred Keegan, of Failsworth, to cancer only two weeks before her wedding in 1999.

Paula will then join runners in the all-women Race for Life with her 24-year-old daughter Louise.

And her eight-year-old son McKenzie will be one of her biggest supporters.

David began to feel unwell last summer when he was struggling to eat and tests revealed he had cancer of the gullet.

Last June he underwent three months of intense chemotherapy treatment at the Christie, followed by surgery.

But he became seriously ill and was admitted to intensive care at Salford Royal Hospital, with post-surgery septicaemia.

In February, David and his family were told that the cancer had spread throughout his body and he died at home a matter of days later.

Paula has just returned to her job as a carer with Age Concern in Oldham, and McKenzie, who is a pupil at Whitegate End Primary School, has recently made memory boxes in tribute to his dad both at school and at home.

She said: “Myself and McKenzie are still in a state of shock at David’s death.

“We had lots of plans for the future and the whole family feels heartbroken.

“Cancer has had a huge affect on my life in terms of losing both my dad and husband to the disease.

“But I am looking forward to taking part in my first ever Race for Life in tribute to David and helping to raise as much money as possible for Cancer Research UK.

“I’m a bit nervous really but I’ve been doing a bit of running with my daughter, and I think I will probably do the race every year from now on.

“It will give me something to focus on.”

Race for Life Heaton Park event manager Paula Jones said: “More people are now surviving cancer thanks to the work of Cancer Research UK, which in turn relies on everyone who raises money through Race for Life.

“But as David Wood’s story proves, we still have a long way to go.”

Enter Race for Life today at www.raceforlife.org or by calling 0871-641 1111.