Heysham gran’s battle with lung cancer

Sheila Davies will be invited on stage at Race for Life which is being held at Lancaster University on Sunday (July 26) to share her story before setting the participants on their way at 11am.

The 63-year-old considered herself to be fit and well when she was diagnosed with lung cancer in March last year.

Sheila is a keen walker, runner and cyclist, so was therefore shocked when a routine annual check-up showed a lesion on her lung.

Further tests revealed Sheila had lung cancer which was a big blow for her husband, three children and seven grandchildren.

It was hoped the tumour could be removed via a lobectomy which is a partial removal of one of the lobes of the lungs, but during surgery it was decided she needed a pneumonectomy which involved the removal of the whole lung.

Sheila also faced chemotherapy treatment last summer which she found gruelling.

But despite only finishing the treatment last September, Sheila has been battling her way back to health and is trying to walk three miles every day as well as regularly swimming once again.

Sheila said: “It was a big shock for everyone when I was diagnosed with lung cancer, but I feel fortunate that I was fit enough to cope with the surgery and treatment. I’m still not up to my original fitness level, but I am getting there.

“Research into cancer is just so important and I would urge every woman to think about signing up for Race for Life to help future generations affected by the disease.

“It’s an absolute honour to be setting the runners off and helping to raise funds for Cancer Research UK.”

Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life, in partnership with Tesco, is a women-only series of 5k, 10k and Pretty Muddy events which raise millions of pounds every year to help beat cancer sooner.

Sheila will continue to need check-ups, including a chest X-ray every three months.

Jane Bullock, Cancer Research UK’s North West spokesperson, said: “Race for Life events are not competitive.

“They are not about being fit or fast. It’s about an army of women standing shoulder-to-shoulder in the fight against cancer.

“With fire in their bellies and trainers at the ready, we know that our local ladies are up for the challenge.”

This year organisers need 1,000 women and girls in Lancaster to rally together to help raise £49,000 for vital research.