'Cancer turns lives upside down': Mum and daughter reveal they both battled cancer
A mum and daughter duo who have each beaten cancer are now taking part in Glasgow's Race for Life this weekend.
Lorraine Taylor, 64, and her daughter Michelle Harris, 38, will take part in the fundraising event for cancer research in Glasgow Green on May 18.
Michelle, a teacher of complex needs, was diagnosed with skin cancer in November 2019.
Read more: Race for Life to return to Glasgow - what you need to know
Michelle said: "Cancer turns lives upside down, steals precious moments and affects far too many of us.
"For me, it's personal as both my mum and I have faced it.
"Mum and I have always been close.
"We talk almost every day and plan weekends away together.
"Mum was an amazing support for me when I was diagnosed and when mum faced cancer, I was right there for her.
"Taking part in Race for Life is not just about the miles.
"It's about giving back to a cause that has given our family and so many others hope.
"Research means more people are getting through cancer.
"We're proud to support that, to cross the finish line in honour of those going through cancer right now and also in memory of some friends and colleagues we have sadly lost to cancer."
Michelle had day surgery on November 30, 2019, to remove the mole as well as lymph nodes from under her arms.
She recovered well and no further treatment is now needed, though she still has regular check-ups on other areas of her body where there are moles.
Lorraine was diagnosed with cancer just 16 months after Michelle's diagnosis.
She had no symptoms when she attended a routine breast screening appointment in March 2021 and was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Lorraine said: "I remember coming out of the appointment and feeling shell-shocked as I called my daughter Michelle to give her the news.
"It was stressful at the time but in a way, I actually felt lucky as screening meant they had caught the cancer early.
"Michelle was a great support to me."
Lorraine was scheduled for surgery in April 2021 but it was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
She eventually had the surgery that June followed by eight sessions of radiotherapy at the Lanarkshire Beatson in Airdrie.
After overcoming their cancer ordeal, the pair are determined to complete the 10k and are encouraging others to join them.
They will be joined by Michelle's daughter Abby Harris, 17, and her pet dog Maze.
Michelle and Lorraine on a family holiday (Image: Supplied)
Read more: Cambuslang woman to trek Himalayas for charity
Abby said: 'My mum and my gran are both amazing, strong women and I'll be proud to be by their side at Race for Life Glasgow.'
Lisa Adams, Cancer Research UK's spokeswoman in Scotland, said: "We are grateful to Michelle, Lorraine and Abby for their support and know their family story will make an impact on everyone who hears it.
'We'd love for as many people as possible across Scotland and beyond to join us at Race for Life."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Gizmodo
5 hours ago
- Gizmodo
A Monkey Herpesvirus Could Hold Key to New Cancer Treatment
A cousin of herpes might just help us fight cancer. Scientists have engineered a protein derived from a herpesvirus in monkeys that could enhance the immune system's potency against cancer. Researchers at the University of Michigan detailed their work on the protein in a paper published last month. In experiments with mice, the protein prolonged the life of cancer-fighting T cells, leading to reduced tumor growth. The findings point to a novel way that we can further strengthen immune-related cancer treatments, the researchers say. The protein comes from herpesvirus saimiri, named after the squirrel monkeys (all members of the genus Saimiri) that the virus primarily infects. The researchers had identified the virus as carrying proteins that activate certain pathways in T cells—the immune system's frontline soldiers against infections and cancers—that extended their survivability. They ultimately engineered a modified version of one particular protein from the virus, called tyrosine kinase interacting protein (TIP). They hoped their version of TIP could bind to a protein in T cells that would stimulate the production of other proteins called STAT that could then boost the T cells' longevity and cancer-killing potential. As expected, the protein increased levels of STAT (specifically the protein STAT5) in T cells in a Petri dish. They then tested the protein on mice with melanoma and lymphoma. The T cells of treated mice lived longer and killed tumor cells more effectively, resulting in reduced cancer growth, the researchers found. 'Our findings demonstrate that signaling pathways can be rewired in T cells to sustain their function in solid tumors,' the researchers wrote in the paper, published in Science Immunology. In recent years, scientists have developed a class of treatments that ramp up the immune system's natural ability to recognize and attack cancers, which is broadly known as immunotherapy. So the U-M scientists believe that their protein could be used in combination with existing immunotherapies to keep T cells in tip-top cancer-bashing shape. More broadly, they believe that other organisms or their genes can be tweaked to modify our immune cells to make them better at fighting cancers. The team's protein is still experimental, so it will take plenty more research to know whether it can be safely and effectively used in people. But it may not take too long for other herpesviruses to contribute to cancer treatment. Several research teams have developed modified versions of the herpes simplex 1 virus (the primary cause of cold sores) to directly eradicate tumors. Some of these treatments have already begun to be tested in people, and have shown promise in early clinical trials so far.
Wall Street Journal
7 hours ago
- Wall Street Journal
The FDA Presents Its Case for Targeting Talc
Your editorial 'The FDA Takes a Trial-Lawyer Turn' (May 21) criticizes the Food and Drug Administration for convening an expert panel to explore whether talc is a potential carcinogen. You cite three studies that don't support that proposition but omit the 2019 review of 30 studies that found a strong association between talc and cancer. Last year the International Agency for Research on Cancer also found that the mineral is 'probably carcinogenic to humans,' citing strong mechanistic evidence. At a recent FDA expert panel, one pathologist reported that talc particles have been observed in cancer cells. For these reasons, talc has been removed from baby powder, but remarkably children continue to eat it in candy and other foods. Millions of Americans also consume it in medications. Talc is used as a lubricant that allows for easier mass production of pills, food and cosmetics. As one scientist informed our panel, safe, low-cost alternatives exist.
TechCrunch
8 hours ago
- TechCrunch
Hinge CMO Jackie Jantos hopes to help make Gen Zers less lonely
Dating apps have developed a bad reputation lately. People ghost others, which means they simply stop responding to someone they once shared frequent correspondence with. There appear to be slim pickings, despite living in big cities like New York, and did we mention a lot of these apps now cost money? At the inaugural SXSW London, TechCrunch caught up with Jackie Jantos, the CMO and president of Hinge, to talk about how the company is marketing itself to a new generation in what has become a listless dating scene. 'This is a generation that has grown up with a deep understanding of how digital experiences are created and what they are trying to get out of them,' Jantos said in an interview with TechCrunch. She listed out the traits Gen Zers want most out of their brands, like transparency and authenticity. It's a diverse generation that spends less time in person than its predecessors. 'If you're not building with inclusion at the center of everything, you're just not going to build a meaningful product or marketing activation to engage them,' she said. The dating app landscape has evolved over the past few years, seeing companies like Hinge working overtime to try and attract and sustain user attention. Tinder, for example, has struggled with growth in the past few years, culminating in the stepping down of its CEO a few weeks ago. Bumble is also seeing a slowdown in user growth. Hinge and Tinder are both owned by Match Group. The Q1'2025 report released by Match Group shows that Hinge is faring a bit better than its sister company. The report showed that Hinge saw an increase in direct revenue, compared to Tinder, and that the app's downloads were 'strong' across the English-speaking and Western European markets. Techcrunch event Save now through June 4 for TechCrunch Sessions: AI Save $300 on your ticket to TC Sessions: AI—and get 50% off a second. Hear from leaders at OpenAI, Anthropic, Khosla Ventures, and more during a full day of expert insights, hands-on workshops, and high-impact networking. These low-rate deals disappear when the doors open on June 5. Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot at TC Sessions: AI and show 1,200+ decision-makers what you've built — without the big spend. Available through May 9 or while tables last. Berkeley, CA | REGISTER NOW Jantos said Hinge is implementing and toying around with numerous new features at the moment. For example, it has added a quota on how many chats one person can have at one time so that a user isn't simply 'collecting chats.' 'We want to encourage people to close out chats if you're not interested in someone,' Jantos said, adding that hopefully this encourages people to focus on a smaller number of conversations that can successfully move toward a date. She said Hinge is testing its coaching feature, which looks to give users tips about building their profiles. The Match Group Q1'2025 report said Hinge was also looking to introduce Warm Introductions soon to 'highlight shared interests to improve match quality.' Jantos was coy on details but said there was a new introduction that would hopefully encourage users to 'spend a little more time discovering each profile.' 'Our recommendations have gotten really strong with the new AI recommender that we recently released,' she added. (Match Group's Q1'2025 news report said the new feature, launched in March, has already driven a 15% increase in matches and contact exchanges.) Jantos said that Hinge is also hoping to boost its safety features with AI and that overall, tools on the app will 'continuously improve because of AI.' 'But also new tools will come along the wya to coach you along the [dating] journey,' she said. Jantos flew into the inaugural SXSW London to give a talk about the loneliness epidemic impacting Gen Zers. There is no shortage of stories and reports on how young people are connecting less with the outside world, glued to their phones and virtual realities. Jantos told TechCrunch this is one reason Hinge launched its One More Hour fund in 2023. The fund seeks to invest $1 million into organizations to foster more in-person connections among Gen Zers. She's heard feedback from young people on her team that there are barriers to hanging out these days, including how expensive it's become and finding places that feel safe. 'We want to lower the barrier so people just want to come out because we know if they build that skill, it's more likely when they're on our product, they'll be more likely to be comfortable meeting someone up for a date,' she said. And, as expected, Hinge is throwing events, filling ads with creators, such as writers, to 'meet the audience where they are.' It created a Zine and campaign about Hinge success stories to hopefully inspire Gen Zers to go find love. And even better, on the Hinge app.
