Sharon Irvine, originally from Moniaive in Dumfries and Galloway, will be cycling from Lands End to John O’Groats in aid of 
Breakthrough Breast Cancer, the UK’s leading charity dedicated to stopping women getting, and dying from, breast cancer.
Sharon who is currently working in Glasgow as an infectious disease registrar, is going to take on this massive challenge later this year on 9th September and is hoping to raise money for Breakthrough in memory of her Aunt who she lost to breast cancer 10 years ago. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in her 20s and treated successfully, however when she was 47 she had a series of seizures and it transpired that her breast cancer had returned, and this time had spread.
Sharon who herself was born with hip dysplasia that was not diagnosed until she was 4 , and has gone through many oporations right through childhood until her 20’s will find this a huge challenge . Sharon has been training for many months now , and is doing between 100 to 200 miles a week on her bike in preperation !
Sharon says, “I am really looking forward to the challenge, albeit a big one! At the time I was unable to go to my Aunts funeral, and I’ve always known I would do something in her memory, and this challenge seems like the right one.
“I am hoping to raise lots of money for this very worthy cause. Everyone knows somebody affected by breast cancer so it’s crucial that we continue to support Breakthrough Breast Cancer’s vital research and help save lives.”
Niamh O’Shea, Community Fundraising Executive Officer at Breakthrough Breast Cancer, says: “We wish Sharon every success for her challenge ahead and hope that the residents of Dumfriesshire come out in force to support her. It’s a sad fact that breast cancer is still the most commonly diagnosed cancer amongst women in Scotland, killing 1,000 women every year. Everyone at Breakthrough Breast Cancer is dedicated to ensuring that more women survive breast cancer; but we cannot continue our vital work without the help of inspiring supporters like Sharon.”
The need for Breakthrough Breast Cancer’s work has never been greater; it’s a disease that affects more and more women every year. The charity was the first of its kind to set up a dedicated breast cancer research centre when no others existed. Funding more than 270 world-class scientists, Breakthrough is dedicated to saving lives through improving early diagnosis, developing new treatments and preventing all types of breast cancer.
If you would like to support Sharon and donate to Breakthrough Breast Cancer please visit https://www.justgiving.com/Sharon-Irvine1/
