10k Shine Night Walk: Brooklands cancer survivor takes on the challenge

A cancer survivor who lives in Sale is taking part in a night-time walking event to raise money for Cancer Research UK next month.  

Christine Amyes, 61, who has completed treatment for bowel cancer, will mark the milestone by taking part in the charity’s 10k Shine Night Walk, which is returning to the city on Saturday 15th October.

Entries are open now and the doting grandmother hopes people of all abilities will step up and follow in her footsteps to raise money for life-saving research.  

Christine, known to many as Chris, was given the devastating news that she had bowel cancer on Christmas Eve 2021.

The retired housing association director visited her GP towards the end of last year after noticing that she was going to the toilet more often than usual. Although she wasn’t initially worried, as she hadn’t noticed any other symptoms, her GP referred her for tests.

Unfortunately, the results confirmed that Chris had bowel cancer and required surgery. Firstly, she had the tumour removed during an operation at Wythenshawe Hospital before going on to have a bowel resection and as a result, she is currently living with a stoma.

Donate to Chris’s giving page

Chris, who lives with her husband Roy in Brooklands, said: “I had been to the doctors and I wanted an answer as soon as possible, I just needed to know and unfortunately I found out on Christmas Eve. They were reassuring and said it was early days and so we were hopeful of the treatment plans.

“It’s been a real rollercoaster, but my family have been my amazing support network and my four-year-old granddaughter Alex has kept all our spirits up all the way through; of course, she doesn’t really understand what’s going on, but she’s been wonderful.

“Before my diagnosis, I was always very cautious and careful and planned lots of the future, but you don’t know what that future is and so I am much more about living for the here and now these days. That’s what I am trying to pass on to my family as well, to make the very most of every day.”

On completing her treatment, Chris’s latest scan showed she is cancer-free, and now she is determined to do everything she can to help give hope to more families like hers. 

Chris will take part in the Manchester Shine event with 10 members of her family including Roy, and her two daughters Helen, 35 and 31-year-old Sarah.

She said: “My experience means I understand the importance of Cancer Research UK’s work all too clearly. It’s thanks to the research that I am here today. Life is different now and it has its challenges getting used to the stoma and all of that, but I’m looking forward to being able to get together with my family and raise some money to give something back.

“I owe everything to research into better treatments, so I hope that sharing my story will help inspire people to sign up for the Shine Night Walk. There really is no better motivation than knowing you’re helping to save lives. Everyone can take part at their own pace, it doesn’t matter if that’s a leisurely stroll, a lively stride or a full-on power walk. The most important thing is raising money.” 

If you’d like to enter the walk, or can give some time to volunteer at the event, visit shinewalk.org.