'Baton relay shows I can live a happy life with cancer'

Katie Hartshorne had always been a keen walker, but when she was diagnosed with blood cancer two years ago, she struggled to keep it up. Crossing the finish line of a charity baton relay walk on Thursday morning, she said her participation was a "celebration" of how far she had come.

The 57-year-old was the final carrier of the Baton for Yorkshire challenge, which began in Hull last month in recognition of the 35,000 people diagnosed with cancer across the region every year.

She described feeling "emotional" as she completed the challenge at Yorkshire Cancer Research's headquarters in Harrogate.

"It felt like it was a culmination of 'you've now kind of recovered from your treatment'."

Hartshorne, who has incurable multiple myeloma, has taken part in the charity's Active Together programme, which gives specialist fitness support to people with cancer.

She said it had been "really pivotal" in her recovery after having a stem cell transplant.

Hartshorne, from Garforth in Leeds, said taking part was a way to thank her family, medical staff and the charity.

"Doing something like this, it's a point in time where my recovery is now in a really positive place," she added.

"Recently I've been abroad, I'm doing things, I'm living well with my myeloma.

"It's a message to people that you can live on with cancer, live a really, really full-functioning and happy life."

The final day of the relay walk began at a charity shop in Harrogate town centre, with the baton carried by another cancer patient, Lisa Sumpton.

She said she had previously enjoyed running, but her diagnosis in October 2023 "stopped me in my tracks".

"With the help of the fitness programme I got back to it and I'm feeling stronger and healthier again."

The 53-year-old, from Harrogate, has encouraged people to take part in the charity's We Walk for Yorkshire campaign, with participants aiming to collectively walk 35,000 miles during May.

"Enjoy the fresh air, enjoy the health and wellbeing feelings that you get from getting outside in nature and just generally doing exercise," she said.

Yorkshire Cancer Research's director of fundraising, Neil Preston, said it had been "a great month" and that those taking part in the campaign had raised more than £45,000.

He said Yorkshire was "particularly hard hit by cancer" and the money would be invested in research and services across the region.

"Yorkshire Cancer Research, with the support of the Yorkshire community, is dedicated to changing that, so more people can live longer, healthier lives free from cancer."

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