BY day, Hazel Mrozek is an office worker at Capita, in Blackburn.

And by night she's a star on the amateur stage at home in Rossendale, having recently made her professional debut in a fringe play in Manchester.

But her true passion is fundraising for the MS (Multiple Sclerosis) Society, in honour of her brother Arthur and in memory of her late sister Janet.

Her siblings both had the progressive form of the inflammatory condition, which affects the central nervous system and can cause visual problems and muscle weakness, as well as difficulties with co-ordination and speech.

Around 100,000 people have MS in the UK.

Throughout the year Hazel holds raffles and fundraisers in aid of the MS Society’s Burnley and Pendle branch, which provides support for her brother and his wife, taking them on days out and to weekly meetings.

And despite being a novice runner, her sibllings’ condition gave her the inspiration to take on her biggest charity earner, the Great North Run half marathon.

Challenged by a neighbour, Hazel tied up her pumps and hit the road for the first time in 2003 — aiming to raise money for the MS Society.

“I just could not run, not even from one lamppost to the next,” said Hazel, from Lumb, Rossendale, who has started training this week for her ninth half marathon in September.

“But what really spurred me on was that I found I could make money for charity and chose MS for my brother and sister.

“Training was hard. My neighbour dropped out but there was no way I would drop out because my brother and sister were so proud.”

Then, just 13 days before the 2003 run, held in Newcastle, Janet died, aged 54, from deep vein thrombosis blood clots — caused by the immobility that comes with MS.

“I was so shocked,” said the 43-year-old mum-of-one. “Even though I knew quite a lot about MS, I hadn’t heard of anyone dying from it. You just struggle all your life.

“Janet was literally taken into hospital as she felt unwell. They said she had a stomach bug.

“Her funeral was on the Thursday and the run was the following Sunday.”

During her training, Hazel had written to the run's organisers, stating her fundraising plans. Then, on the day of Janet's death, she received a response from the run to which she replied, saying: “PS, my sister has died today.”

The team were so touched they featured Hazel's story on TV coverage and asked her to run from the start line with the celebrity runners.

“Before Janet's death, I'd raised £1,000. By the end it was £4,500, so many people donated,” she added.

Hazel has run the event every year since, bringing in £18,000 for the society.

Last year, for the first time, her husband joined her on Tyneside for the run and daughter Sarah, 16, took part in the junior race.

Now Hazel has been listed in the Great North Run's hall of fame and she has received the organiser's People Award. Each year she lines up with the celebrities, waving to her brother, family and friends watching at home on TV.

She said: “I do think 'why am I the lucky one?' I've had tests, although the doctors say it's not hereditary. It just makes me want to do whatever I can to help the charity. People are so supportive, even though I do this every year. I write to a lot of companies but get very little from them — but my friends and family come up trumps every time “And little things keep happening: The cast of the last play I was in held a raffle for MS and want to keep fundraising now.

"And a lady at work makes and sells cakes every Monday, which brings in a few pounds.

Hazel added: “It's a lovely feeling to do it all in my sister's name and I won't stop funsdraising as long as my legs let me run.”

n For more information and to donate to the MS Society visit www.mssociety.org.uk