A CHANDLER’S Ford charity worker, who has taken part in Race for Life since the age of four, is celebrating her 20th year by managing the Winchester event on Sunday May 21.
After completing the course 19 times, Chloe Challand, 24, will instead be setting out the route this year and ensuring all participants in the 3k and 5k enjoy the experience as they fundraise for life-saving research.
Chloe said: “It’s funny to have gone full circle from always taking part as a participant and seeing the fun, front-side of it and enjoying the amazing atmosphere and emotions to now seeing it from behind the stage.
“Now I really appreciate the amount of effort involved that our event assistants put in alongside our brilliant volunteers who come and work with us from all around the country. We all do it for the same reason to help save lives and that’s really important. Now I can’t wait to start delivering the event.”
This is the 30th year of Race for Life and participants will receive an exclusive medal to mark the milestone.
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Chloe can still remember her first event back in 2003 in Southampton. She said: “My first Race for Life was on Southampton Common because I don’t think we had a Winchester event back then, but I remember the stage, I remember being really small and everyone taking part and from then on, it became routine.
“Each summer you’d know that you’d be fundraising and each year would be different – we’d either do it with friends, family or just my mum, sister, Olivia, 22, and me. Even when I was at uni, I would make sure I came home to do the Winchester Race for Life, it’s just ingrained in my personality, I think.”
People can sign up at raceforlife.org in advance or can sign up on the day by heading to the admin tent. The klaxon for the 3k and 5k events at North Walls Recreation Ground will sound at 11am. Participants are asked to arrive approximately 45 minutes before their start time.
Elisa Mitchell, from Cancer Research UK, said: “It’s wonderful to see the impact our Race for Life events have had on Chloe’s family to the extent that she has become one of our event managers.
“We are incredibly grateful for the family’s support and would love for as many people as possible across Hampshire to help join them in celebrating our 30th year of Race for Life.
“Sadly, cancer affects all of us in some way. We’ve seen survival rates in the UK double in the last forty years thanks to the tireless efforts of researchers, but this can only happen with the continued support of fundraisers up and down the country.”
To enter, visit raceforlife.org.
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