Leukaemia survivor shows fighting spirit

RACHEL FOX - torch honour

More than 7000 community heroes will carry the Olympic torch across the country before the games in July. We’re introducing the local champions who will be carrying the torch for Oldham and revealing their achievements set to inspire a nation. LEWIS JONES reports.
AN ability to succeed and overcome has been a winning formula for Royton student Rachel Fox.

She went through one of the toughest battles imaginable — though she can hardly remember it.

Rachel suffered leukaemia at the age of six, undergoing bouts of chemotherapy and persistent check-ups until she was given the all-clear.

She bounced back and went on to achieve success academically and in athletics during her time at the former Our Lady’s School.

She achieved 5 A* grades at GCSE and represented the school at netball and rounders as well as specialising in the 100m sprinting event.

After studying at Oldham Sixth-Form College, Rachel (20) is now in the final year of a degree course in Environmental Conservation at Leeds University.

In between studying, she found the time to compete in the Manchester 10k, raising over £400 to help fund leukaemia research.

She will be the pride of the borough as she carries the torch through Lancaster on Friday, June 22.

She said: “My friend nominated me. When I got the letter, she just said, ‘Oh, yeah, I forget to mention it’. I couldn’t believe it.

“Having leukaemia must have been tough for all of the family but they dealt with it well — we’ve moved on and I hardly think about it any more.

“It’s going to be so great to be part of history and everyone is quite proud — I’m just so grateful to my friend who put me forward.”

Meanwhile, Mr Mike McGhee, her head teacher when it was Our Lady’s, now the Blessed John Henry Newman RC College, had nothing but praise for his former pupil, saying: “The school is very proud that Rachel’s talents have been recognised in this way.

“She will no doubt be very honoured to be invited to carry the Olympic Torch and we offer our very best wishes. She was a polite and well-mannered student who always had a smile on her face and was a pleasure to teach.”