Harpenden breast cancer survivor’s 5K challenge

A breast cancer survivor from Harpenden who was misdiagnosed will be braving a 5k run for both herself and her mum who died of the disease six years ago. Jane Sims, who has lived in the Crabtree area of Harpenden her whole life, will be taking part in St Albans Race for Life on July 26.

On August 1 2014, Jane was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer, a rare aggressive form relatively unknown, after finding an area of redness a few weeks before and a hard lump.

Her GP initially thought it was an infection and prescribed antibiotics.

However when the lump had doubled in size just several weeks later she realised it was more serious.

By the time she started chemotherapy, the lump had grown to the size of a tennis ball.

She said: “How do you explain to your children, who were then 5 and 3 and were much longed for IVF babies, that their Mummy, who is the centre of their world might not be around for much longer?

“It was the middle of the summer holidays and most other mummies were planning where to take their children for fun days out, whereas I was having to go to the hospital every day for endless tests.”

However Jane said she was “one of the lucky ones”, as the cancer hadn’t spread elsewhere and following chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy she was declared cancer free.

She said: “As a result of my journey, I want to raise money to enable more research to be done into this type of breast cancer, and other cancers, and to raise awareness.”

She added: “I really am not the fittest person in the world so it will be a huge achievement for me after the months of treatment.”

As well as Race for Life, Jane will be holding a raffle at 10.30am on July 18 in The George in Harpenden,

Tickets will be sold in advance at the Cancer Research shop in the High Street.

To sponsor Jane visit www.justgiving.com/janesims-xx.