As Cancer Research UK launches Race For Life 2005, we speak to four Yorkshire women whose lives have been touched by the disease.

WITHIN a week of celebrating her daughter's victory against cancer, Audrey Skilbeck was facing her own fight against the disease.

Audrey, 74, of Acomb, York, was diagnosed with breast cancer only days after doctors told Ann, 49, her ovarian cancer was in remission.

After nursing her daughter through a hysterectomy and chemotherapy, Audrey bravely prepared for surgery, aware of how cancer could take its toll on her body.

Meanwhile, Ann, determined to give her mum the same care she had shown her, rallied her sister and brother-in-law and walked three miles for Cancer Research UK. The money she raised helped fund medical trials such as the one she took part in while she was being treated at St James's Hospital in Leeds.

Now, mother and daughter are in remission, and encouraged by the thousands of women who have already signed up to run one of the charity's other events, the three-mile Race For Life. This year, an anticipated 425,000 women will run Race For Life in memory of loved ones or to support people bravely fighting cancer.

In York, there are 4,739 places for the race on Knavesmire on July 13, at 7.30pm, and by running, you could help Cancer Research UK reach its £24 million target.

Ann said: "While I was on the trial I could see how the money was raised, where it went and what was happening to it.

"You see how all this money raised by other people is helping to find treatments or a cure, and want to give something back. When I was doing the walk I could see the doctor in charge of my trial in my head and think I was helping to pay his wages.

"Hopefully, one day I'll be watching the news or reading the paper, and find out that the research I personally took part in has come to fruition."

ONE woman who would love to run Race For Life is Adele Machin's mum Anne.

Mother and daughter trained hard for last year's race, while Anne battled breast, bone and liver cancer.

But two days before the event, doctors told Anne, 53, the disease had spread to her brain and she should not take part.

Adele, 27, ran in her mum's honour, and will run again this year to support her mum's courage in the face of terminal cancer.

Adele said: "She had raised a lot of money herself and was devastated that she couldn't run, it was something we'd been doing with family and friends, it was a real team effort".

"It was very emotional when I crossed the finishing line, I saw her face and she saw mine, she was so proud.

"She is in a lot of pain, but she's brilliant. She sets herself little targets. For now she says she doesn't want our t-shirts to say in memory of my mum, on the back, she wants to be there to cheer us on. We're going to have Anne's Army, on our t-shirts."

Adele, who works for British Sugar in York, urged women throughout the region to join in.

"Even if you only sponsor someone 50p or £1, it all helps towards trying to find new treatments for people.

"What they can do now compared to 20 years ago is amazing."

Race For Life facts

<bullet/> Last year York was the tenth largest race, with 5,584 runners.

<bullet/> When Race For Life began in 1994, 680 runners raised £36,000.

Cancer

<bullet/> Cancer is the cause of a quarter of deaths in the UK

<bullet/> More than one-in-three people in the UK will be diagnosed with cancer

<bullet/> There are over 200 different types of cancer. Breast, lung, bowel and prostate cancer account for more than half of all new cases.

Progress

<bullet/> Survival rates have increased for nearly all cancers

<bullet/> The death rate for breast cancer in the UK has fallen by 20 per cent in the last ten years

<bullet/> About 95 per cent of men with testicular cancer are now successfully treated

<bullet/> More than seven out of ten children with cancer will survive.

How to enter:

<bullet/> There is a £8.50 entry fee (£5 for girls under 18), which covers venue and equipment hire, first aid provision and course

marshalling

<bullet/> To enter, visit www.raceforlife.org or phone the Race For Life hotline on 08705 134 314 between 8.30am and 8.30pm, with your credit or debit card details.

<bullet/> Entry forms are also available in Cancer Research UK shops, Tesco stores, leisure centres, libraries and GPs' surgeries.

<bullet/> The closing date is one week before the race

<bullet/> No prams, pushchairs, baby joggers, pets, roller skates or inline skates will be allowed on the course.

Updated: 09:36 Friday, March 18, 2005