Hi im Lucy,

I wanted to share something very close to my heart, in memory of my beautiful cousin Isobel, who sadly lost her fight to cancer in October last year at the age of 35.

Isobel filled every room she entered with so much life. She was more than a cousin, she was a partner, daughter, a sister, aunt, granddaughter, a niece, and above all, a mother to her two wonderful girls, Evalyn and Hettie.

Isobel was caring, kind, loving, she laughed loudly, made jokes, hugged tightly, and her voice was always the loudest in the room. Losing Isobel has left a hole in our family that nothing can quite fill.

In memory of Isobel, I will be running the Leicester Half Marathon on Sunday 26th October, to raise money and awareness for The Eve Appeal.

How The Eve Appeal helps with BRCA gene research

• BRCA PROTECT Research Clinic

• This is a programme at UCL (University College London), funded by The Eve Appeal, to improve risk prediction and prevention of breast and ovarian cancer for people with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 alteration. The Eve Appeal+1

• The clinic aims to understand how cancer develops in people with these gene changes, and to develop ways to protect (prevent) cancer without necessarily using surgery. The Eve Appeal+1

• It recruits women already known to carry BRCA gene alterations, but also family members who’ve tested negative, and women from the general population for comparative study. The Eve Appeal+1

• Genetic Cancer Prediction & Population Screening (GCaPPS)

• The Eve Appeal has funded research in screening for BRCA gene alterations in broader populations. This helps explore how genetic testing could be rolled out more widely, and what impact that would have. The Eve Appeal+1

• For example, there are published papers (via the Journal of the National Cancer Institute) about screening for the BRCA gene alteration that were supported by Eve. The Eve Appeal+1

• BRCA UNITE

• Another project supported by The Eve Appeal is BRCA UNITE, which works in conjunction with BRCA PROTECT to look at processes that may increase or alter cancer risk in BRCA carriers. BRCA UNITE+2The Eve Appeal+2

• Open Calls & Grants

• The Eve Appeal issues research funding calls (for fellowships, small grants) in areas including inherited risk, which encompasses BRCA gene–related work. The Eve Appeal+2The Eve Appeal+2

• Some of the small grant funding is specifically allocated to BRCA-related research. 

I would be humbled and grateful for any help you can give.

If you can, please consider donating in Isobel’s name. Every pound will go towards supporting research, awareness, and people who find themselves on the journey she went through.

If you are free, and would like to come and cheer me on that Sunday, especially as I near the finish line, your presence would mean the world.

Seeing family and friends cheering will help me run with Isobel in my heart.

Though she may no longer walk with us, her love still leads.