Woman raises £800 for cancer ahead of Great South Run

A runner has raised £800 to help fight cancer ahead of the Great South Run this weekend.

Southampton resident Lisa Kirby took part in the London Marathon in 2016, raising over £5000 for breast cancer, and will return to the running scene in Portsmouth on Sunday.

She has created a GoFundMe page ahead of the annual 10-mile race to fundraise for neuroendocrine cancer and has almost reached the £1000 milestone.

A close family friend was diagnosed with the rare disease, which affects just four in 100,000 adults, last August.

“It has been a difficult year for everyone financially, so I’m extremely grateful for everyone’s generosity,” Kirby said.

“Workload and issues at home have made it [training] more difficult the I first anticipated.”

On her choice to raise awareness of neuroendocrine cancer, she added: “It’s a charity which is very close to my heart.

“I know how I felt when I had a recent cancer scare and how precious life suddenly becomes.”

To help motivate herself during the gruelling race, she will bring along a special item.

“I’ve got a photo on WhatsApp of my friend first receiving treatment, smiling and looking full of positivity,” Kirby said.

“I will just keep reminding myself that the least I can do for her is to get through this challenge.”

This year’s Great South Run is anticipated to be the biggest in over a decade.