While running around donned in pink, 1950s inspired outfits, these ladies thought about the enormous numbers of people that suffer with cancer.
The team of nine from Everetts Pharmacy in the Locks Heath Shopping Village took part in the Cancer Research UK Race for Life completed the Southsea event and raised more than £1,260.
The Everetts ladies who ran the Race for Life
The charity is close to the hearts of a few of the ladies who took part, including Christine Mandley, who has survived the disease after finding a lump at the top of her thigh and pelvic region three years ago.
Christine did not go to the doctor straight away, but when it became sore she visited her GP, who quickly spotted the problem and had the lump removed a week later.
It was only then that Christine was told it was voval cancer and not an ulcer, which was initially what she believed it was. She also had the lymph nodes in the area removed to avoid the chance of the cancer spreading if it were to come back.
As part of the race the 58-year-old hoped to raise awareness of cancer and urged people to go to the doctor immediately when spotting a lump.
“I’m glad I went to the doctor. With the quickness of getting it removed I guess it must’ve been bad,” said Christine, of Valley Rise, Sarisbury Green.
“My surgeon was brilliant. I’m quite a laid back person. I put my trust in my doctor. You put your life in their hands. I’ve not been given the all-clear. I’ve got to go back for four-monthly check ups for five years from when I had the surgery.
“Don’t be embarrased and don’t sit on your problems.
Christine Mandley ran the Race for Life as she has suffered cancer
“You’ve just got to go on and be positive and don’t let it beat you. I’m not letting it beat me.
“Cancer affects everybody in their families. We’ve got to get rid of this deadly disease.
“We did a really good job and we all finished in one hour and 13 minutes. It was very, very hot, but we did it. We all had the names on the back of our t-shirts of people that have gone and those that have it now.”
She is currently supporting her brother, who has malignant melanoma, as well as her cousin whose husband’s funeral is coming up after he suffered prostate cancer.
Joining Christine were staff Sarah Horrocks, Jacqueline Woolnough, Sasha Adams, Susan Ashford, Kay Cutler, Sue Adams (who was the Team Leader), Jess Ive and Rita Briggs.
All of them have known someone who has suffered from cancer from family and friends to colleagues and customers.
They ran the 5km in Portsmouth crossing the finish line altogether. They have previously taken part in the Southampton race for the past two years.