This weekend saw Cancer Research UK’s 5k Race for Life event at Sefton Park in Liverpool, and taking part was a team of 53 from LSTM called the Lady Bugs.
Made up of female staff members, some of whom ran alongside their children, the Lady Bugs attacked the course, running, jogging or walking their way around the distance among the thousands of other women and children who were raising money for life-saving research into cancer. With donations still coming in the team has already reached £4,500, surpassing its original target by £500.
The Lady Bugs was made up of staff from throughout LSTM including Director Professor Janet Hemingway, along with senior members of the academic department alongside researchers, students and members of support teams. All wearing pink T-Shirts designed by Charlotte Hemingway, a training Material Developer from the Department of Vector Biology and sponsored by Business Build, the first Lady Bug to cross the finish line was LSTM’s new Public Engagement Manager, Dr Elli Wright from the Communications Team.
To celebrate the fact that the whole team completed the distance there was a family picnic where the runners and walkers caught their breath and enjoyed the sunshine. The team was brought together by Executive Assistant to the Director, and marathon runner, Kathleen Carroll. She said: “It was a fantastic event, and we are delighted that so many women from LSTM were able to take part and enjoy it. Not only did it give us an opportunity to get together outside work, but it was all for a great cause, raising money to fight a disease that has touched so many.”
Anyone wishing to donate to team’s fundraising efforts can do so at https://www.justgiving.com/teams/lstm-pink-ladies