“Cancer is evil. It has tried to take two of my family members away and I will do everything I can to fight back at that."

That was the message from Barrow woman Kristel Kemp who will be undertaking the Coniston to Barrow (C2B) as a thank you to CancerCare for supporting her mum Wendy through cancer treatment last year.

Wendy’s diagnosis of stage three tonsil cancer came as a huge shock to Kristel, but this was not the first time her family had been hit by cancer. 11 years ago her brother came through testicular cancer.

Kristel said: “I threw myself into fundraising for the Rosemere Cancer Foundation by baking masses of cakes. My nephew, Saul, helped me to deliver them and we raised over £2,000."

In September Wendy received news that her cancer had gone.

"The treatment she went through was absolutely brutal, so it had to have been worth it! Mum is a little warrior and we’re all very, very proud of her,” said Kristel.

In May, Kristel’s fundraising focus will turn to CancerCare during the 20 mile C2B route.

She will be joined by a large group of family and friends, including her sons and nephew.

She said: “ Over the years I’ve raised around £10,000 for Rosemere and before Mum’s treatment, I didn’t know about CancerCare, so now it is your turn.

“I love running and I’m in my own rehab period after a hip operation at the moment, so this will be my first post-op challenge. I love to run for a cause. When it feels hard or I want to stop, I remind myself of the suffering my mum and brother went through. I tell myself that I can just suck it up for one day when they were so ill for weeks and weeks. It’s the least I can do."

CancerCare, which has a centre at Duke Street in Barrow, provided Wendy with reflexology sessions which promotes the relief of stress and anxiety.

Wendy said: "I never felt like I needed to hide my side effects or anything like that. It was such a nice place to be!"

To find out more about how to raise money for CancerCare during to Keswick to Barrow event, email heidi.bowron@cancercare.org.uk