A Winsford grandmother who saw both her parents and sister die from cancer will be running in the TCS London Marathon to help raise awareness of a rare form of the disease.
Corrine Leech, 51, a pastoral manager at Winsford Academy, is completing the 26-mile race for a charity that helps people with the form of the disease that killed her mother Lynn.
In early 2020, during the pandemic, Lynn felt a small almond-size lump on her hip. In April 2020, she saw a doctor and was told it was probably a cyst.
A couple of months later, the lump had turned sore and hot. Lynn was concerned and went back to a GP and was referred to hospital. Due to the pandemic, it was another two months before she was seen. By now, the lump had grown and was more painful.
Lynn was referred for an MRI, but the machine at her local hospital was broken and they were waiting for a replacement which meant more delays. She eventually had a scan in September – on 14 September 2020, Lynn was told she had pleomorphic sarcoma.
Corrine said: ‘I had only recently heard of sarcoma as a very young mum in our community had recently died of it. We were told Lynn’s sarcoma was incurable, however, she could have radiation therapy to shrink it. It was already the size of a papaya by then.
‘She had two weeks of daily radiation, which did shrink the tumour and gave us some hope. That was quickly dashed when we were told she had up to six months to live.’
Corrine added: ‘We watched our funny, vibrant mum wither away before our eyes. It took five months and in that time she planned her funeral and made sure we would all be okay, including my dad who had dementia and prostate cancer.’
Lynn, who had been a credit controller before retirement, died aged 74 in February 2021. She’d had endometrial cancer in 2015 and received radiation therapy.
Corrine said: ‘We found out during her treatment that the sarcoma was very possibly a result of the radiation therapy she had for her endometrial cancer. We were so angry, but that treatment still gave us five extra years with her. We were angry at how long it took to be diagnosed because of the delays of COVID and the broken machine but, by the time she felt the first lump, it was already too late. The sarcoma was deep in her hip and inoperable.’
Tragically, Corrine has since seen her sister, Lea, die from skin cancer and her father, Wynie, die from prostate cancer. She is now in training for April’s London Marathon to raise funds for charity Sarcoma UK.
She said: ‘My mum was one of the bravest people I have ever known, and I am so grateful for the years we had with her. I would have given anything to have more so I want to raise money to help people who are living with and dying from this devastating form of cancer. If I can run the marathon and raise money that will help fight this disease, it will be a dream come true.’
‘Corrine’s heartbreaking family experience with cancer, particularly her mother’s experience with sarcoma, highlights the urgent need for greater awareness and research into this rare disease,’ said Kerry Reeve-Kneip, Director of Fundraising and Communications at Sarcoma UK. ‘Sarcomas account for just 1% of all cancer diagnoses, yet their impact is devastating. The diagnostic delays Lynn experienced are unfortunately all too common with sarcoma patients, where early detection can be critical. Through dedicated fundraisers like Corrine taking on challenges such as the London Marathon, we can continue to fund vital research, improve treatment options, and provide support to the thousands of people affected by sarcoma each year. We’re incredibly grateful for Corinne’s commitment to honouring her mother’s memory in such a meaningful way.’
To donate to Corrine, go to https://www.justgiving.com/page/corrine-leech-1720636562851
