Ellen, Harley and I are running the Robin Hood Nottingham Half Marathon this September to raise money for Inflammatory Breast Cancer Network UK.

In 2023, my wonderful mum was diagnosed with IBC which is a rare form of aggressive breast cancer. After a tough year of chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy, we are beyond lucky that she has made a full recovery however there are so many people that aren’t as lucky.

Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) is an aggressive, rare form of breast cancer that doesn’t typically present as a lump or show on a mammogram. It is often misdiagnosed or missed entirely, as many in the medical profession do not recognise its presentation, which was the case initially for my Mum.

Typically IBC develops into stage 4 cancer in just three months and despite accounting for only 2% of breast cancers, it tragically represents 10% of all breast cancer deaths.

Currently, IBC receives NO GOVERNMENT OR CHARITY FUNDING for research or awareness initiatives which is why fundraising efforts are so important. The IBC network works tirelessly to fund research, raise awareness and support women through diagnosis and treatment which was invaluable to my mum and to her positive outcome.

Ellen and I have NEVER been runners - last year, I remember watching friends cross the finish line, thinking there was no way I could EVER run that far, however after a couple of 5k’s, we’ve naively signed up and have been upping our training. We are all running to raise awareness and money for this wonderful charity. We would be thankful for anything you can give.

Also Gals - please make note of the symptoms of IBC - swelling, redness, change in texture, warmth, tenderness.