Jane Tomlinson, a doughty fighter against cancer, has been conferred the honor of CBE in the Queen’s Birthday honors list. The 42-year-old pediatric radiologist, hailing from Leeds in UK, was first diagnosed with breast cancer when she was only 26. Despite a mastectomy, the disease returned to haunt her a decade later, spreading to her lungs and bones. It would get you this time, she was told six years ago.
But undaunted she has carried on with her efforts to raise funds for charities fighting cancer. She has raised over £1.5m for charity through several marathons and epic bike rides. The mother of three cycled 4,200 miles across the US in nine weeks for her final fundraising challenge in 2006.Her health proved a huge challenge during the journey from San Francisco to New York, with organizers considering abandoning the ride and admitting Jane to hospital just two days before the finish line. She completed the ride on the sixth anniversary of the day she had been given just six months to live. Mrs Tomlinson is the only person with incurable cancer to complete a full Ironman event which consists of a 4km swim, 180km bike ride and full marathon to be done inside 17 hours.
She has also completed two half Ironmans, run the London Marathon three times, the New York Marathon and three London Triathlons and is the only person to do the marathon whilst on chemotherapy. Her brother has completed two tandem bike rides with her - one from Lands End to John O' Groats and the other from Rome to Leeds. At the same time she has had four courses of chemotherapy and as a result of her drug regimes has chronic heart disease.
Among the many accolades she has achieved for her mammoth fundraising efforts she has received the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award and a Pride of Britain Award. She has said she will no longer take part in fundraising events herself but 8,000 people have signed up to do the 'Run For All' 10k in Leeds at the end of June, which was inspired by Jane's efforts. Maureen Rutter, director of Macmillan Cancer Support, one of the charities to benefit from Jane's fundraising efforts said: 'Jane Tomlinson is an inspiration to everyone who is diagnosed with cancer.
'Although she and her family have known for some time that Jane's cancer cannot be cured, she is living life to the full, every minute of the day. 'More people with cancer could not even contemplate doing some of the challenges Jane has undertaken but hearing about her has given then courage and hope.'
Source-Medindia
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