Runner fundraising for Cancer Research UK after baby scan revealed growth

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

An ultrasound scan which should have been the exciting day she discovered the sex of her first baby left a pregnant woman with the painful news that she had bladder cancer.

Janine Edgar went on to have a healthy baby son, Jonty, who was delivered early before the growth could cause serious harm to either of them, but her early months of motherhood were marred by surgery and treatment.

She later lost her mother to an acute form of acute myeloid leukaemia – a cancer of the white blood cells – and said she wants to do whatever she can to “tackle this evil disease”.

Mrs Edgar, 44, a training manager from Hadleigh, Suffolk, will be raising money for Cancer Research UK when she takes part in the Royal Parks Half Marathon on October 13.

She also wants people to talk more about the symptoms of bladder cancer.

“Cancer Research UK is doing some of the best work on the planet around targeting the symptoms of bladder cancer, but it’s also up to us to talk about it more,” she said.

“I urge people to get your symptoms checked – there should not be blood in your wee!

“I don’t want anyone to have to go through what we went through – it was supposed to be the best time of our lives but it was so painful to deal with.”

Mrs Edgar, who was born in Harare, Zimbabwe, and came to the UK in 1999 for university, said she first saw blood in her urine aged 12.

“There’s a real problem in Zimbabwe with a water-borne disease called bilharzia, which is caused by a parasitic worm which finds its way inside you.

“I’d have been vulnerable to this for sure, which might also be why I suffered with so many urinary tract infections growing up.

“I changed doctors so much growing up that nobody was able to pick up on the pattern of my symptoms until it was too late, so I feel lucky to still be here.

“I’ve also been told there’s a 90% chance of recurrence, so that’s something I must deal with for the rest of my life.”

Jonty, who had a growth right next to his head on his 20-week scan at Ipswich Hospital in 2006, is now 17 and has a sister Eloise, 15.

“I’ll never be able to repay the NHS or Cancer Research for saving my life and allowing me to become the mum I always dreamed of, but I’ll raise as much money as I can and do whatever I can to help both for the rest of my life,” Mrs Edgar said.

“Jonty always reminds me that they might have missed the growth in my bladder if his head wasn’t in the perfect spot, so I guess he’ll continue to dine out on the fact he’s my knight in shining armour.”

She added: “I want to show people that a cancer diagnosis, at whatever time in your life, does not define who you are as a person.”

Mrs Edgar, who has been married to husband Chris for 18 years, said she would tell anyone going through something similar: “You are so much tougher than you think and you can overcome whatever life throws at you.

“Life is for living, so please go out and live it.”

With a friend she set up a women’s running group, Hadleigh Jeffing Queens, which has nearly 50 members and helps women of all ages and backgrounds to talk about some of the challenges they face.

“These women are all queens! All of them have had to overcome hurdles to be here, whether they be mental or physical, so we all love to support each other through whatever we are facing,” she said.

Mrs Edgar said taking part in the Royal Parks Half Marathon to fundraise was “a no-brainer” as it is “one of the UK’s most scenic half marathons”. It will be her fourth official half marathon.

A partnership with Royal Bank of Canada highlights inspiring stories among the event’s participants while the RBC Champion Award and a charity donation of £5,000 goes to the highest individual fundraiser on JustGiving by 11.59pm on September 29.

To support Mrs Edgar’s fundraising, go to:https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/janines-giving-page-2481