STV NewsGlasgow Green was awash with pink as thousands of people gathered at the starting line for the annual Race for Life event.
More than 10 million people have taken part in Race for Life since it launched.
Raising millions of pounds to fund gentler and more effective treatments to fight the disease.
STV NewsLaura Eggo from East Kilbride discovered a lump while breastfeeding her daughter Ivy during the pandemic. It turned out to be cancer.
“In the space of just a few months I went from the joy of celebrating the birth of our daughter with all the special people in my life to hours in a hospital ward,” she said.
“Cancer was one of the toughest things I’ve ever gone through and there were frightening moments. Life changes in a second when you’re told you have cancer. It was really weird. I wasn’t prepared for it. I spent my 40th birthday preparing for chemotherapy treatment.
“It’s vital to raise awareness so women know that if they find a lump in their breast during breastfeeding their baby it is essential to get it checked out.
“I went to breastfeeding classes for mums to be but a need to be aware of breast lumps was never mentioned to me.
STV News“After I discovered a lump, I ignored it for some time as I just put it down to breastfeeding.”
Statistics show between five and 10 per cent of cancers diagnosed are linked to an inherited faulty gene, called BRCA1 or BRCA2.
Laura, who has the faulty gene, has been advised by her doctors to consider mastectomy surgery and to have her ovaries removed.
Now in remission, Laura, was guest of honour at the Glasgow race, cheered on by her daughter Ivy.
“It was very emotional seeing her, she’s inherited the gene from me so seeing her here was really emotional.
STV News“Ivy starts school after the summer which is hard to believe. She has spent her formative years in the midst of a global pandemic with her mother enduring a punishing cancer journey.
“Despite this, Ivy has been a constant source of joy and inspiration, with a strong personality and an infectious sense of fun. I’m so glad to still be here for her.”
Around 34,600 people are diagnosed with cancer every year in Scotland.
Professor Seth Coffelt of the Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute leads a team in the city investigating new ways to treat cancers.
He said: “Researchers like myself are hard at work every day, performing experiments to try and understand how cancer occurs, how cancer spreads, and how cancer can be treated.
“All these research efforts take money, as research is expensive. That’s why I’m so grateful to all the runners and walkers who have spent their time gathering donations. It’s awesome to see.”
Glasgow is host to the biggest Race for Life Event in the UK raising £750,000 from this event alone.
Race for Life Glasgow included 15 members of the Strathaven Superhoopers who power hooped their way through the entire 5k course.
The group who raised more than £800 support the event every year in memory of fellow hooper Michele Osborne who died from breast cancer in December 2019.
Fancy dress costumes included inflatable flamingos and dinosaurs.
Race for Life events which take place across the country are open to all ages and abilities.
It includes events everywhere from Aberdeen to Glasgow, Edinburgh to Dundee, Falkirk to Fife, Inverness to Irvine.
Money raised by Race for Life has helped develop radiotherapy which benefits more than 130,000 people with cancer in the UK every year.
Cancer Research UK funded scientists led the development of the Human Papillomavirus Virus vaccine, which is expected to prevent almost 90 per cent of cervical cancers in the UK.
Cancer Research UK wants to accelerate progress and see 3 in 4 people surviving their cancer by 2034.
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