Brave teen will launch Blackburn Race for Life (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Brave teen will launch Blackburn Race for Life

8:35am Friday 3rd February 2012 in Blackburn By Neil Docking, Reporter

A BRAVE 19-year-old will launch Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life in Blackburn this year.

Nichole Bain will be guest of honour at Witton Park on Wednesday, June 20.

She was diagnosed with a brain tumour in the summer of 2009.

Nichole had suffered health problems for nine months, including headaches, sickness, weight loss, worsening eyesight and slurring of words.

During visits to her GP, it was suggested that the former Witton Park High School pupil could be suffering from stress or an eating disorder, and she sat her GCSE exams despite feeling ill.

However, when she was eventually referred to a neurologist, a medulloblastoma – an aggressive and cancerous tumour - was found on her brain.

She said: “I was feeling so dreadfully ill that I can’t remember a lot of what went on at the time.

“Getting through my exams at the time was hard work and the last couple of years have been incredibly tough with so much treatment and time spent in hospital.

“But, thanks to research, I am still here.”

Following surgery, Nichole, who lives in the Canterbury Street area, was admitted to The Christie hospital in Manchester.

She underwent gruelling treatment including six weeks of radiotherapy and eight months of chemotherapy.

Because she was left in a wheelchair following the surgery, the teen also had to learn to walk again.

Yet she fought her way back to good health, receiving a Cancer Research UK Little Star award in 2010 for her courage, and took part in Blackburn’s Race for Life event last summer.

Organised in partnership with Tesco, the women-only series of 5k events raise millions of pounds for life-saving research into 200 types of cancer.

Nichole, who is currently studying at Blackburn College and dreams of becoming a physiotherapist, said: “Success stories like mine would not be possible without the work of Cancer Research UK, which in turn relies on everyone who raises money through Race for Life.

“It will be a real honour to stand up in front of the women of Blackburn and hopefully inspire them to raise as much money as possible.”

Last year 2,300 women took part in the event and raised £85,000.

Now organisers hope 2,500 women and girls could help raise £95,000 for vital research.

To enter visit www.raceforlife.org or call 0871 641 1111.