On Saturday a 5k charity fun run was held at Manchester Regional Arena to raise funds for the Sarah Harding breast cancer appeal.
The Christie Charity run was led by Sarah’s consultant Dr Sacha Howell, who looked after her during her treatment at The Christie hospital.
The Girls Aloud singer, model and actress, Sarah Harding died in September 2021 age 39, following a diagnosis of breast cancer.
Her memory continues to inspire ground-breaking work in breast cancer research, through the innovative study BCAN-RAY (Breast Cancer Risk Assessment in Young Women), led by Dr Howell.
Dr Howell said: “BCAN-RAY was set up following Sarah’s dying wish to find new ways to spot the signs of the disease earlier and stop it cutting lives like hers short.
“The funding from the Sarah Harding Breast Cancer Appeal and support from Sarah’s Girls Aloud bandmates, family and friends, made the innovative study possible.”
He added: “There are too many young women in their 30s, like Sarah, tragically dying from breast cancer.
“She was very keen for more research to be done to find out why they are being diagnosed despite no other family members having been affected by the disease. Sarah spoke to me many times about this during her own treatment.
“The BCAN-RAY study is Sarah’s legacy and the first study of its kind for young women which is helping us find out how we can more accurately identify those who may develop breast cancer.
“It is still the leading cause of death in women under 50 and BCAN-RAY will help us identify those most at risk so we can offer them breast screening to detect cancers earlier, when treatment is more likely to be successful.”
Sarah Harding’s Girls Aloud bandmates, Cheryl Tweedy, Nadine Coyle, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh continue to champion the cause, alongside generous public support.
The Christie is a specialist cancer centre in Manchester and has more than 120 years of expertise in cancer care, research and education. It is one of Europe’s leading cancer centres, treating over 60,000 patients a year.
The Christie Charity supports the work of The Christie NHS Foundation Trust providing enhanced services over and above what the NHS funds. This includes money for care and treatment, research, education, and extra patient services.
You can donate to The Sarah Harding Breast Cancer Appeal here.
Image Credit: Alanah Hammond
Join the discussion