Walking for a cure this Mother’s Day

RESIDENTS from Geelong and surrounding areas will join the nation in the fight against breast and ovarian cancer as the Mother’s Day Classic (MDC) returns on May 12.

Funds raised will go to the National Breast Cancer Foundation and for the first time the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation will be a second beneficiary, participants can choose if they donate to one or both.

Anglesea local Carley Little lost her mum to breast cancer when she was 10 years old and will participate in her 10th MDC this year.

Her Mum Cheryl was diagnosed at 29 and lost her battle with metastatic breast carcinoma at 34, Ms Little shares her story in hopes of raising awareness.

“I like to make people aware they’re never too young, and if there’s something that you feel is not right, get tested, get screening and go and see your doctor,” she said.

Ms Little is now a community ambassador for the MDC and joined the event as a way to put money towards funding and research and loves being part of it each year.

“It’s also a time for me to reflect on the memories that I’ve had with my mother, and also I was quite young, so sharing this day to have her in my thoughts and memories.”

Ms Little had a scare herself in her early 20’s and ended up having duct removal, she also gets screening every year.

Her two-year-old daughter Maycee is named after her mum and when she was born a $5 future fund was started for her.

Each week Ms Little and her husband set aside $5 for Maycee for any future medical expenses, with the hopes she’ll never have to use it, and is something she encourages everybody to do.

“When they’re older it’s just one less thing they have to worry about, finding money for doctors appointments, for screening or testing.

“We’re lucky that I can get in and see a specialist, but not everybody can do that, but I’m also aware of that.

Ms Little has watched the event grow over the past 10 years, with the MDC raising 2.5 million last year.

“It’s just such an amazing achievement, each year we have more and more people coming along.

“Hopefully we can keep going with the cancer research this money goes towards and find this cure.”

Participants will have the choice of completing the 4km walk, 4km run, 8km walk or 8km run at Eastern Park.

For more information, head to mothersdayclassic.com.au