Friends hopes of raising £1,000 for hospital units which are close to their hearts
Two friends who work together in the pathology department of the West Suffolk Hospital are pounding the footpaths and streets of Bury St Edmunds as part of their training routine for a half marathon.
Rebecca Miller and Abbey Vinecombe are planning to take part in the Vitality Big Half which takes place in London, in August and the pair are hoping to raise up to £1,000 for My WiSH Charity who will be directing it towards the women’s chosen recipients – the Macmillan Cancer Unit and the Colorectal Department at the hospital.
Both units have a special place in the women’s hearts as 25-year-old Abbey, who lives in Brandon and works in the pathology department’s office, had two close family members treated for cancer while Rebecca, who lives in Bury St Edmunds and is a phlebotomist, has had major bowel surgery and also had the trials and tribulations of having to deal with her son being treated for the cancer.
The pair are just two of many other staff from the hospital who are planning to take part in the run in London.
Abbey said: “2020 was a hard year for us all and for some it was even harder. Last year two very close family members of mine were sadly diagnosed with cancer, this was devastating and really put things into perspective.”
Rebecca said her life started to change in 2019, three years after her son Thomas Kirk, who is now 14, was treated for cancer.
She said: “After two major bowel surgeries I finally have my life back and it’s all thanks to Dr Ami Mishra and his wonderful colorectal team so that’s my reason for running for the department.
“Thomas is now clear of his cancer and the final operation to have my colon removed took seven-and-a-half hours.”
The pair meet up twice a week to run around the Moreton Hall area of Bury St Edmunds and run once a week on their own.
Rebecca has taken part in the Race for Life but for Abbey the Vitality Big Half, which takes place on Sunday, August 22, will be the first long distance race for her.
Forty-year-old Rebecca said: “We have been doing lots of running and managed to do a 10 mile one but the Vitality Big Half will be the biggest one that we have done. We are trying to get our pace up and our stamina up and what we raise will be split between the two departments at the hospital.
“I am living a better life then I did before the treatment, it’s amazing and we are both quite excited about the event in London.”
The pair have already raised over £400 and hope to reach £1,000 by the time of the race which starts at Tower Bridge and finishes at the Cutty Sark, in Greenwich.
Sally Daniels, fundraising manager, thanked Abbey and Becky for their enthusiasm. “The Big Half has been a fantastic way of bringing staff together. For many it’s been amazing to be able to do something for themselves and to have something new to talk to their colleagues about has just been a breath of fresh air”.
To support their efforts, go to their fundraising website www.justgiving.com/abbey-becks
By Russell Cook for My WiSH Charity