When Bonny Bonney saw the advert for Southampton's Race for Life taking palce today she knew she had to take part.
For just over two years ago the mum-of-two from Sholing was diagnosed with skin cancer, her dad, Trevor Clayton, is currently battling bowel cancer and her friend Caroline Downie's husband, Steve, lost his battle with melanoma - a type of skin cancer - last year, leaving behind four children.
"Research has come a long way in the last few years, and now one in two people with cancer will survive," said the 36-year-old primary school teacher. "And I just felt like I wanted to raise some money so that the survival rates keep improving.
She said: "Because I hate cancer - it's a stealer of joy and hope.
"When I was diagnosed with malignant melanoma, it was a complete shock - it felt like a bomb had gone off inside me and was slowly taking over me.
"I had a mole on my foot that had changed and looked a bit different to how it did before, so I went to the doctor who referred me to a specialist. The specialist operated to remove it the same day I saw him and now I am one of the lucky ones, I survived.
"But, it has left me worrying about every single change in my skin and wondering if it will come back. And I hate seeing my dad, who is currently having chemotherapy, going through his own battle."
Bonny got together with her friends and together they created a group - the Sholing Sheilas - to enter the 5k event on Southampton Common today, and the more of her friends and colleagues that she mentioned it to, the more signed up.
There are currently 25 of them set to take part, including Caroline and her four children, .Hannah, George, Tilly and wheelchair bound Charlie, who is 6.
"We decided to walk, rather than run, so that nobody would be excluded," added Bonny. "And people have been amazing with their support, both in signing up and in donations, staff at Royal Mail at Hedge End have raised more than £100 for us, even though they don't actually know us.
"Everybody seems to know someone who has been effected by cancer and it sometimes feels that we are always waiting to hear who has it next - it's a horrible feeling and we have to do everything we can to ensure that we keep fighting this terrible disease.
"I know what I'm writing on my sign on who I am taking part for: Me - the survivor, my dad - the fighter and Steve - the legend."
Yesterdat thousands of women took part in the Pretty Muddy part of the Race for Life weekend.
See all the dramatic pictures from the event here.
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