Nikki is guest of honour at Pretty Muddy
At Cancer Research UK's Race For Life on Sunday the guest of honour, Nikki Milligan sent everyone on their way.
She attended along with her partner Jason McFarlane and their daughters Zoe, aged six, and Abbie who is one year old. Nikki sounded the starter horn to start all the 1,500 participants off on the muddy race round the obstacle course in The Meadows.
The race raised around £160,000 for cancer research.
Nikki picked up a medal after completing the 5K Pretty Muddy with her childhood friend Claire Wright. Afterwards she said: 'I am incredibly grateful to be here to raise my two girls.
'It's hard to put in to words exactly how it feels to be healthy and surrounded by love. This summer will mark three years of me being in remission from cancer. I will forever be thankful to my family for their unwavering support and to the NHS for getting me better.
'I'm proud to be able to help others. I want to support research for people going through cancer right now and to help find better treatments for my daughters' generation.'
Nikki recalls vividly the uncertainty she felt on January 13 2022 when doctors at the Western General Hospital told her she had Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of blood cancer. She had first contacted her GP in December the year before after a lump had appeared near her collar bone and she had suffered symptoms including night sweats. She had an x-ray after blood tests indicated there may be an issue and only hours after the x-ray the GP called her.
Nikki said: 'I thought the x-ray results would take around 10 days to come so when my GP called me back the same day I knew the news wouldn't be good.
'They'd found a tumour on my neck and my chest. I had a biopsy on Christmas eve 2021. My daughter was only three at the time and going through Christmas waiting for those final January results was hard.'
Nikki lost her hair to the side effects of treatment. She had six months of chemotherapy in total including two stays in hospital. But on August 18 2022, she completed her final session, after which it took time to build back strength.
Just months later, Nikki was overjoyed to discover she was pregnant again. Her younger daughter Abbie was born on December 26 2023.
Nikki said: 'I feel so lucky. After treatment for cancer, I didn't even know if I'd be able to have another child but here we are blessed with our Boxing Day baby.'
Lisa Adams, Cancer Research UK's spokesperson in Scotland, said: 'We are incredibly grateful to everyone who took part in Pretty Muddy Edinburgh.
'No matter how cancer affects us, life is worth racing for. Sadly nearly 1 in 2 of us will get cancer in our lifetime but all of us can support the research that will beat it. We're proud that Race for Life has had such a positive impact. Every pound raised supports our life-saving work, which has helped double cancer survival in the UK over the last 50 years.
'It was a fantastic day at Pretty Muddy Edinburgh, full of emotion, courage, tears, laughter and hope as people celebrated the lives of those dear to them who have survived cancer and remembered loved ones lost to the disease.
'Now we're asking everyone who took part to return the money they're raised as soon as possible. Every donation, every pound raised will make a real difference. '
Diane Graham, a volunteer from the Cancer Research UK Edinburgh superstore at Corstorphine also completed Pretty Muddy. She took part along with CRUK superstore manager Steven Storrier who celebrated his 52nd birthday over the weekend.
Steven said: 'I can think of no better way to celebrate my birthday.
'Almost every day in the superstore people share with us their reasons for supporting Cancer Research UK. I am in awe of our customers who do so much to support the charity. Pretty Muddy is a chance for me to give a little bit back.'
Pretty Muddy in Edinburgh ALL PHOTOS © Lesley Martin/Lesley Martin Photography 22 June 2025
© Lesley Martin/Lesley Martin Photography 22 June 2025
Left to right Claire Wight, 31, and Nikki Milligan, 31
Left to right Zoe McFarlane, 6, dad Jason McFarlane, mum Nikki Milligan and Abbie McFarlane, one
Mum of two Nikki Milligan in remission from cancer is the official starter at Cancer Research UK's Pretty Muddy Edinburgh
Pretty Muddy in the Meadows
Right to left Nikki Milligan in remission from cancer crosses the finish line of Pretty Muddy Edinburgh with daughter Zoe, six, and her friend Claire Wight
People take part in CRUK Pretty Muddy in The Meadows, Edinburgh. ©Lesley Martin/Lesley Martin Photography
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