On your marks…get ready to beat breast cancer

6/9/2011 4:41 AM EST

Breast Cancer Campaign is urging all budding runners across the UK to put on their running shoes and join the ultimate Northern race to beat breast cancer at this year’s Bupa Great North Run.

As the evenings get lighter, it’s the perfect time to start training for the 13.1 mile race in Newcastle on Sunday 18 September. On the day 54,000 runners will speed off from the starting line and Campaign needs you to run and raise money for vital breast cancer research.

Events Executive, Karen Lambert, said: “At last year’s event 350 runners pulled on their pink Campaign vests and pounded the pavements to raise more than £160,000 to help us continue our mission to beat breast cancer. This year we’re hoping more runners will join our team so please sign up and show your support for the 48,000 people who will sadly be diagnosed with this disease in the UK this year.”

Campaign has 140 charity places available on its team so if you would like to run for research, or if you have your own place through the ballot and would like to run for Campaign, please call the events team on to 020 7749 4114 or email   the deadline for Campaign’s charity places is Friday 8 July. Runners will also receive a fundraising pack containing a Breast Cancer Campaign running vest and lots of fundraising ideas.

ENDS

Notes to editors
• Breast Cancer Campaign aims to beat breast cancer by funding innovative world-class research to understand how breast cancer develops, leading to improved diagnosis, treatment, prevention and cure
• 97 research projects, worth almost £16.7 million in 31 centres of excellence across the UK and Ireland.
• In the UK, around 48,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year - that’s nearly 130 a day
• Visit www.breastcancercampaign.org