A SINGLE mum from York who is battling cancer is set to take part in a relay event in the city to raise funds for a charity that’s close to her heart.
Julie Blackburn, 51, who is mum to eleven-year-old Henry and lives in Bishopthorpe with her son and their dog, Monty. Julie has secondary breast cancer; after initially being diagnosed back in 2015, she was diagnosed with stage 4 in 2018.
Read next:
- 'Harry will need heart surgery for the rest of his life' - family's match day
- Celebrations underway at York school where 'bullying almost never happens'
- 'He saved my life not once but twice' - tributes after heart surgeon dies suddenly
The Press first reported Julie’s story back in 2021 when she and her friends sent gifts to NHS staff, during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Then, last year, Julie, who works as an independent consultant for The Body Shop, channelled her love of all things musical theatre in to organising a family variety show to raise money for Cancer Research UK.
Now she's taking part in Relay For Life at York RI opposite West Bank Park in Acomb on Saturday, July 29.
The event brings together teams of family and friends to fundraise for life-saving cancer research. Teams, cancer survivors and volunteers then unite as a community to honour everyone who has been affected by cancer and celebrate the money raised for research.
The festival is focused around a 24 hours relay where teams take it in turns to complete laps of the track all day and all night.
All the money raised will support Cancer Research UK and Julie, along with friends Lacie Mae Martin, Steph Coverdale, Jenny Holmes, Marie louise Surgenor, Keelie Newbold and Claire Newbold will form team Sunshine and Happiness.
"Five years on from my diagnosis, I'm on the same chemo tablets and I'm quite stable," said Julie.
"My cancer is treatable, not curable, and a lot of people are still passing from cancer, but there are also a lot of people who are lasting a lot longer too and getting a better quality fo life and it's about spreading the word to give people hope."
On the day Julie is helping to organise a carnival for Cancer Research UK and putting on lots of children’s activities including a mini disco as well as glitter faces, hair colours, a lucky dip and hook a duck. On the day there will be local talent and bands playing at the carnival and stalls selling all sorts of goodies.
The event will run from midday until 9.30pm. Entry is free.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here