Meet Yvonne

Yvonne, 62, from Birmingham, has been a media volunteer for close to 10 years. In that time she's supported Stand Up To Cancer, raised awareness during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, appeared in numerous newspapers and websites and even helped to sell rubber ducks to fundraise for Cancer Research UK.

A grandmother and mum of three, Yvonne found out she had cancer after she was knocked over by her daughter on a sledge during a ski trip in 2003.

She said: “If the sledging accident hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t have checked myself over that night and discovered the lump.

“When I got back I went to see my GP about my nose and casually mentioned the growth. After tests they discovered two lumps on my right breast and one on the left side.

“One of the lumps on the right breast was malignant and the cancer was spreading fast.

“They told me it was a good job I had found it when I did.” Yvonne underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy and has since run marathons and cycled across India to help raise funds for Cancer Research UK.

“I’m so grateful for the treatment that saved my life but not everyone survives. That’s why I want to do all I can.

"We need to continue raising money so that brilliant research can be translated into treatments for patients faster.”

Yvonne is currently working in New Zealand but continues to support Cancer Research UK and the media volunteer team.