A WORCESTER teacher - who was diagnosed with tongue cancer after seeing a large lump on her neck in a party photo - is launching Race for Life in the region and urging everyone to join her.

Julie Page, 58, had felt the lump in her neck previously but dismissed it as a swollen gland. It was only when she saw a photo of herself at a party in April 2019 that she realised how big the lump in her neck was.

Now cancer-free for three years and acutely aware of the importance of research, the St Barnabas primary school teacher is set to take part in Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life at Pitchcroft Racecourse on Sunday, July 9 to raise vital funds for the charity.

Standing proudly at the school gates holding a Race for Life back sign and ringing the school bell to sound out the rallying cry, Julie is hoping to encourage people of all ages and abilities to sign up to their local event at raceforlife.org.

Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life, in partnership with headline sponsor Standard Life, is an inspiring series of 3k, 5k, 10k, Pretty Muddy and Pretty Muddy Kids events which raise millions of pounds every year to help beat cancer by funding crucial research. This is the 30th year of Race for Life and participants will receive a special medal to mark the milestone.

Julie, who is mum to two grown-up sons Zak, 28 and Fynn, 26, spent six months being fed by a tube because she lost the ability to eat or swallow. The cancer at the base of her tongue had to be treated with intensive radiotherapy that left her mouth feeling like “sunburn with a bucketful of ulcers thrown in”.

She lost so much weight - over six stone - during her illness that when she returned to work many of her colleagues didn’t recognise her.

Julie said: “If I hadn’t seen that photo taken at the party I probably wouldn’t have gone to the doctors. Even when I did go, I was expecting a diagnosis of tonsillitis or glandular fever, so it was a massive shock to be told it might be cancer.”

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Because Julie delayed going to the doctor until term was over and the process of tests, scans and biopsies took some time, it was October 2019 before she got her cancer diagnosis, and November before the primary site of the tumour was confirmed – at the base of her tongue.

On January 5, 2020, which should have been the first day of the new school term, Julie began six weeks of intensive radiotherapy. She also had two days of chemotherapy at the start and halfway through her treatment.

Julie was terrified of losing her voice and found the severity of the treatment very debilitating. “I hadn’t prepared myself for the intensity and invasive nature of the treatment. I could write a book on ‘the mouth’, how it felt like sunburn with a bucketful of ulcers and how talking was physically and mentally exhausting, everything just felt so painful.

“When I received each round of treatment, I would close my eyes and imagine being somewhere else. I knew that each session would take the duration of four songs, and I would sing the words along in my head.”

Julie now makes sure that she has a drink to help swallow her food and has check-ups with her consultant as part of a five year follow up plan.

After six months off work, she returned to the classroom and is now passionate about encouraging people to go to their GP if they notice any changes in their body.

Julie believes research led to the treatments that saved her life and has vowed to ‘do her bit’ by raising money for Cancer Research UK, which funds research into all 200 types of cancer.

Since having cancer, Julie has taken part twice in Race for Life Worcester with her family and friends cheering her over the finish line.

She said: “I’m so proud to Race for Life and I hope my story inspires others to sign up. There were many frightening moments in my cancer journey. For me as a teacher, so reliant on my voice in the classroom, losing the ability to speak was a big fear.

“But my family, friends and colleagues were right there for me from day one, and the staff at the hospital were all totally amazing and helped prepare me for what was to come. I’ve had unbelievable support and it means the world to me to be back in my classroom doing the job I love.

“Now I’ve put cancer behind me and I feel fitter than ever before, so I’m really looking forward to standing at the start line again this year. We all have a reason to Race for Life. For me it will be a chance to say thank you and to raise money to help others facing cancer right now.”

Every year around 33,800 people are diagnosed with cancer in Worcestershire and the West Midlands.

Money raised at Race for Life enables scientists to find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer - helping to save more lives.

The Race for Life events at Worcester’s Pitchcroft Racecourse on Sunday, July 9 and Saturday, July 8 (Pretty Muddy events) are open to people of all ages and abilities.  Women, men and children can choose from 3k, 5k and 10k events. There is also a chance to take part in Pretty Muddy - a mud-splattered obstacle course - and there’s a Pretty Muddy Kids option. 

 

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Cancer Research UK’s spokesperson in Worcestershire, Jane Redman, said: “We are incredibly grateful to Julie for her support.

“We’d love for as many people as possible across Worcestershire to join us during our 30th year of Race for Life. Sadly, cancer affects all of us in some way. Whether people are living with cancer, taking part in honour of or in memory of a loved one with cancer, or signing up to protect their own children’s future, everyone has a reason to Race for Life. Together we can bring about a future free from the fear of cancer. So we’re asking people across the region: Who will you Race for?

Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life, in partnership with headline sponsor Standard Life, raises funds for world-class research to help beat 200 types of cancer - including bowel cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, testicular cancer, brain cancer, children’s cancers and leukaemia.

Chief executive of Standard Life, part of Phoenix Group, Andy Curran, said: “We are extremely proud to have been chosen as the headline sponsor of Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life. This sponsorship will help encourage participation and raise funds for life-saving research to help beat cancer.”

To enter, visit: raceforlife.org