Deborah shows cancer a clean pair of heels
Triathlete Deborah Cooper was the image of vitality as she posed for this picture ahead of last summer's ASDA Foundation Yorkshire Marathon.
But mum-of-two Deborah had fought a long and arduous health battle just to get to the starting line.
Deborah, from Easingwold, was at peak physical fitness when she was diagnosed with breast cancer six years ago.
Just weeks after completing an Ironman event that took in a 2.5 mile swim, 112 miles of cycling and a marathon, she found a lump as she was taking a shower.
Within a week she was diagnosed and just a month later she underwent a full mastectomy.
The good news was that the cancer had not spread to her lymph nodes, so she did not need chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
But tests showed she had the BRCA2 gene variation, predisposing her to both breast and ovarian cancer.
“I made the tough decision to have a second mastectomy,” said Deborah, 50. “There were also concerns about my ovaries, and both my grandma and my great-grandma died of ovarian cancer, so I had a full hysterectomy too.
“It was hard – I was in a new relationship, I hadn’t been with my husband Jon for very long, but he was amazing, so understanding.
“One of the worst days was when I had to tell my children. Looking my daughter in the eye and saying, ‘I have breast cancer’ was harder than being told I had it myself.”
Some other members of Deborah’s family have now been tested for the BRCA2 gene and they have all rallied around to support her.
Throughout her treatment, she remained committed to keeping fit. “I still managed to run, cycle and swim even after my first diagnosis, I was always going to keep fit, I wanted to keep my mind healthy as much as my body,” she said.
“We got through it, and now here I am, doing a marathon! I have taken everything that I can, and now I want to give something back, so I’m running for York Against Cancer.
“Every time I went to hospital I bought a card from their shop there and had a chat with the lovely ladies who work there. I was lucky enough not to need their services but I saw the huge amount of work that the charity does to support people through cancer treatment and I wanted to give something back.”
Deborah, who is now free of cancer, ran through the rainy marathon to raise a fantastic £1,700 for us.