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Alex Jemmett, 31, will be running the Royal Parks Half Marathon on 12 October to raise funds for our vital research in memory of three significant people in her life who she has lost to cancer.
I play the saxophone in a wind band and got to know a lovely lady who sat next to me in rehearsals. She had just retired and was looking forward to really enjoying life - she had joined all sorts of clubs and loved playing the sax. Shortly afterwards, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her treatment meant she was unable to come along to practice regularly and she could not enjoy all her new-found hobbies. I felt angry for her that life had been so cruel to her. It seemed so unfair that just as she had all the time to enjoy life, she was unable to do the things she really wanted. Her condition improved enough for her to come back to rehearsals and perform in a concert, but things worsened again and a week before Christmas 2024, I received the news that she had passed away. I was so upset that she was unable to fulfil all the plans she had for her retirement and wished there had been better treatments available to her.
I have also lost two other significant people to cancer from the musical side of my life. Two of my previous saxophone teachers have also passed away. One died around 10 years ago, leaving a three-year-old daughter and now that I have a daughter of a similar age, her passing has really hit home.
Their deaths add to a growing list of relatives, friends, and people in my life that are unfortunately no longer with us because of cancer.
‘I want to do my bit’
As a senior research scientist in the veterinary field, I understand the importance of research and the vital need for funding.
We can only make treatments or care plans based on our current knowledge. We need to understand more to improve treatment options, to slow down the progress of cancer and understand the genetics of why it’s caused in the first place. If we can prevent it, that would be awesome. But not everything is preventable, so we also need to focus on finding effective cures for the disease.
That is why I will be running the Royal Parks half marathon to raise funds for The Institute of Cancer Research. I want to do my bit to help researchers at the ICR continue their vital work in making new discoveries that will help diagnose and manage oncological diseases.
I have been running now for a couple of years, and this will be my second half marathon. I had my first practice a few weeks ago in a local race, but I am excited and intrigued to see what I can achieve on 12 October. The Royal Parks is a beautiful, eco-friendly route, so I am really looking forward to it. My training is going well so far and if I can finish the race in 2 hours 10 minutes, I will be very happy indeed!
To support Alex and the Institute of Cancer Research, visit Alex's fundraising page.