A STUDENT who lost her future sister-in-law to cancer is taking part in Race for Life in her memory.
Dilly Shore, 20, is urging mums, daughters, sisters and friends to make a defiant stand against cancer by entering a 5k or 10k Race for Life Coventry and Warwickshire event in Stoneleigh Park on June 29 or the 5k Race for Life Rugby on July 13.
Emmaliese Hardy, the fiancée of Dilly’s eldest brother Ben, died of oesophageal cancer in September 2011 at the age of just 24. She had signed up to the event before her death.
Dilly, who is studying human biology at Loughborough University and hopes to become a nurse, said: “It was a terrible shock when Emmaliese was found to have cancer.
“She was such a big part of our family, she was like my big sister.
“She’d been feeling unwell and went for some tests which showed she had the disease. She was only 23 when she was diagnosed.
“Emmaliese had also signed up for a Race for Life event after her diagnosis when she was still feeling OK, but then she became more ill and wasn’t able to do it.
“I just keep thinking the whole time if Emmaliese was here, she would be putting on her trainers and running with me. That’s what keeps me going.”
Dilly, who has three older brothers, said that taking part in Race for Life was her way of fighting back against cancer, and would allow other families to spend more precious time with their loved ones.
She also completed this year’s Virgin London Marathon in four hours 17 minutes, raising more than £2,300 for Teenage Cancer Trust.
Ben said: “It was such a shock when we found out about Emmaliese, she was such a young and healthy person. When she found out she had cancer, she signed up for all of these runs so it’s even more fitting that Dill is doing this.
“I appreciate what Dill is doing so much. I’m such a proud big brother and I know Emmaliese would be proud too.”
Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life is run in partnership with Tesco.
Last year, 1,600 women took part in Race for Life in Rugby and raised £77,629. To enter log onto raceforlife.org.
Dilly’s brother Ben with his fiancée Emmaliese Hardy.
