Three-year-old girl joins family for Race for Life (From Daily Echo)

Three-year-old girl joins family for Race for Life

5:06am Thursday 10th July 2008 in Race For Life News By Paula Thompson, Senior Feature Writer

AT just three years old, little Ellie Maddox is one of the youngest participants in this Sunday's Race for Life.

The plucky tot will toddle the 5k course around Southampton Common with her mum Laura and sisters Lauren, eight, and Sophie, six, to remember their Grandad John', who died last September.

Between them, the girls from Hedge End hope to raise more than £500 for Cancer Research UK.

Grandmother Alison is very proud of the girls for taking part.

"They raised £500 last year when their grandad was diagnosed with cancer and they hope to beat that this year," she said.

"They understand that the money they raise goes to scientists to make new medicines for cancer.

They want to help and this is something positive they can do."

Ellie and her sisters will be joined on the Common by about 10,000 women and girls in what has become the biggest Race for Life event in the country.

The fun starts at 10am with an aerobic warm-up before Professor Peter Johnson, head of Cancer Research UK's Clinical Research Centre in Southampton, starts the race at 11am.

Entry to the Southampton Race for Life closes tonight at 11.59pm. Register at raceforlife.

org/southwest or call 0871 641 2279.

More Race for Life news on the Daily Echo Race for Life page