MUMS and daughters across the Glasgow area are being urged to unite and join the fight against cancer by entering Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life.

The charity is inviting women of all ages, shapes and sizes to sign up to take part in Race for Life 5K or the Race for Life 10K at Glasgow Green on Sunday May 21. With Mother’s Day only days away, there’s no better time for mums and daughters to pull on their trainers, limber up and join like-minded women committed to the cause. Money raised will help Cancer Research UK scientists find new ways to treat cancer and save more lives.

Lisa Adams, Cancer Research UK spokeswoman in Scotland, said: “We are urging mums and daughters across Glasgow to make this Mother’s Day extra special by signing up to Race for Life.

“It’s the perfect opportunity to spend quality time together, create precious memories and join like-minded women determined to beat cancer sooner. Race for Life events are non-competitive and participants can choose to walk, jog or run around the course. Every step participants take together will help to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured. Every day, 88 people are diagnosed with cancer in Scotland.* That’s why we’re calling on daughters in Scotland to give an extra special gift this Mother’s Day and pledge to take part in Race for Life with their mum.Together, we can stop this devastating disease in its tracks.”

Now for the first time, men can take part too. Cancer Research UK is introducing a new addition to its events calendar – ‘Race for Life Family 5k’ – which is being piloted for the first time in Scotland.  Glasgow has been chosen to host one of just 10 of the new Race for Life Family 5K events in Scotland this spring. While the women only 5K and 10K at Race for Life Glasgow both start at 9.30am, an hour later at 10.30am men, women and children will be able to take part together in the new Family 5K.

Lisa said: “Scots have always shown such an incredible commitment to the cause, so we’re thrilled to be trialling the new Family 5k event in Glasgow.

“For the first time, this will offer men the chance to experience Race for Life as participants. Our much-loved traditional 5k, 10k and Pretty Muddy events will remain women-only – giving everyone the opportunity to support Cancer Research UK in the way they want to. Everybody is welcome to enter Race for Life, whether they’re taking part on their own or with family, friends or workmates.”

One in two people in the UK will be diagnosed with cancer at some stage in their lives, but the good news is more people are surviving the disease now than ever before. Survival rates have doubled since the early 1970s and Cancer Research UK’s work has been at the heart of that progress.

Last year, around 37,612 people took part in Race for Life in Scotland and raised almost £2.5 million. This year, organisers are appealing for even more people to stride out to beat cancer sooner with Scotland’s first Race for Life 5K events kicking off in Stirling and South Queensferry on May 14, closely followed this spring by events across the country, everywhere from Glasgow to Aberdeen, Inverness to Irvine. Scotland’s first Race for Life Family 5K which for the first time will allow men to take part alongside women is in Stirling on May 14. As well as Glasgow and Stirling, Scotland will also host new Race for Life Family 5ks which men can participate in at locations in Perth, Fife, Dundee, Falkirk, Irvine, Inverness, and Aberdeen. All Race for Life events are non-competitive so participants can choose to walk, jog or run around the course to help fund life-saving research.

Money raised will help Cancer Research UK scientists find new ways to tackle cancer and save more lives. More people are surviving cancer than ever before. Survival rates have doubled since the early 1970s and Cancer Research UK’s work has been at the heart of that progress.

Thanks to the generosity of its supporters, the charity was able to spend more than £33 million last year in Scotland on some of the UK’s leading scientific and clinical research. Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life, in partnership with Tesco, is an inspiring series of 5k, 10k, Pretty Muddy, and now Family 5k events, which raise millions of pounds every year so that this life-saving work can continue.  

Sign up for Race for Life at raceforlife.org or call 0300 123 0770.