Family and friends join forces to 'Race for Life at Home' in memory of Bradford teenager

Megan Carr, from Thornton, was just 18 when she passed away in December 2017, almost three years after being diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system. 

Despite surgery and months of chemotherapy and radiotherapy and going into remission, her cancer returned and spread to more of her body and there was nothing else that could be done.

Megan had always wanted to take part in Race for Life, but unfortunately hadn’t been well enough to do so. 

But in June 2016, she was delighted to be guest of honour and start the Bradford Race for Life after starring in a Cancer Research UK television campaign. Since then, members of Megan’s family and friends have raised thousands of pounds for Cancer Research UK and other charities, as well as taking part in Race for Life as a team.

This year, Team Meg were planning to take part in Race for Life again in Lister Park, which was due to take part on Saturday, June 6, but has been postponed due to the Covid-19 crisis. 

Undeterred, they have undertaken their own challenges to Race for Life at Home, with family and friends even joining in from Spain and America. 

While Megan's parents Karen, 54 (pictured below) and Chris, 57, danced, cartwheeled and walked on their treadmill, others did their own challenges.

They included Megan’s elder brother Ryan, his wife Laura and their two daughters, Maise, three, six-month old baby Millie and son Kayden 13, sister Amy and her three-year-old son Kylen.

Her uncle Gary and his family, William, Hollie, Amanda, Jonny, who bounced around on their trampoline. Friends Krista and Chris Ward who did 50 laps round their pool in Spain and the Merry family - Nicole, Kevin, Dylan, Hunter and baby Emilee - who joined in from their garden in America.  

Karen said: “There isn’t a minute that goes by that we don’t think of Megan. We were all so close to her. She had loved being part of Race for Life so I wore Megan’s trainers so she could be with us in spirit as we went around Lister Park. 

“We were sorry when we heard the Bradford event had to be postponed because of the coronavirus but were so excited to be able to do Race for Life at Home in the meantime.

"With all that is going on around us, it feels good to take back some control and do something positive to help people who are going through cancer right now.

“And of course, we wanted Megan to be part of it too. She was so full of life, so we wanted our Race for Life at Home challenge to be full of fun and laughter as we held up our signs saying ‘Team Meg’.”

Karen added: “Megan was so bubbly, so outgoing. 

Megan starts the Race for Life in 2016

“The cancer might have taken over her body, but she never let it take her fighting spirit. She never gave up hope and would not allow us to give up either. She would not have wanted us to sit round crying after she died. When we dance around the garden, I bet she was watching down on us, laughing her head off.”

Nicki Embleton of Cancer Research UK, who invited Megan to start Race for Life and still remains close to Megan’s family, said: “At a time when it feels like everything is at a standstill, there is one thing that hasn’t stopped, cancer.

“Our priority as a charity is ensuring that people affected by cancer are getting the support they need right now. 

“We have been getting people asking about doing Race for Life at Home because they don’t want to see the charity lose out on vital funding. 

“It’s truly humbling to see the response. So from their homes, we’d love for supporters to join Megan’s family and do their own Race for Life at Home in these challenging times. From a run or 5K walk around the garden, dancing to rock music, to doing a limbo in the living room, there is no wrong way to Race for Life at Home.

"With no entry fee, people might choose to twerk, limbo, star jump, squat, skip, dance, or come up with their own novel way of taking part and share it with friends. The message is very much that ‘while we might be apart, we’re doing this together’. There is no wrong way to get involved and join our community.

“Those lucky enough to have a garden, like Karen and Chris, may choose to make use of it but whatever people decide to do, we are immensely grateful for the support, now more than ever.  We could be looking at hundreds of people in Bradford stepping forward to Race for Life at Home and perhaps collecting sponsorship to do so.”

People can visit raceforlife.org and sign up free for ideas on how they can create their own Race for Life at Home challenge.

A new date for Race for Life Bradford has been set for Saturday, September 19.