Tracey rebels against cancer

Tracey Barraclough is determined to Stand Up to Cancer.

Tracey, from Calverley, decided to have a mastectomy and hysterectomy after she was found to have the faulty BRCA1 gene and was featured in The Yorkshire Post four years ago.

The extreme preventative measure left the 57-year old mother of one hopeful she had dodged the breast and ovarian cancer which had affected her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

But then in March this year, Tracey, was diagnosed with bowel cancer which was totally unrelated to the BRCA1 gene.

It was successfully treated with major surgery and she needed no further treatment.

In 2013, when Tracey’s son Josh turned 18, he was tested and the news that he had not inherited the gene from his mum meant that this cancer would now not make it to four generations of Tracey’s family.

Now Tracey is joining Stand Up To Cancer Campaign – a joint fundraising initiative from Cancer Research UK and Channel 4, which raises cash to help get game-changing new tests and treatments to cancer patients, faster.

Tracey had a dramatic make-over by professional make-up artist, Drew-Ashlyn, at Illamasqua, Leeds, to show just how she felt about cancer.

“I thought hearing my mum tell me ‘it’s cancer’ was the worst shock of my life. But when I heard those words again, this time about me, I just couldn’t believe it.

“I thought I had already put an end to cancer in my life,” says Tracey, who has retrained as a hypnotherapist and inspirational speaker.

“But unlike my mum, my cancer treatment was successful, and now I’m on the road to recovery I want to make another stand against the disease.

“Research saves lives and I want everyone to know it. That’s why I’m giving my heartfelt support to Stand Up To Cancer.

“It raises money to speed up more effective treatments for people who really need it now. I am a Rebel against cancer. It has already tried it on with me twice, it better not mess with me again.”

Nicki Embleton, Cancer Research UK spokesperson for the Yorkshire, said: “We’re really grateful to Tracey for her determination to help others by recruiting people to the cause.Every hour, around two people are diagnosed with cancer in Yorkshire.”

Since it was launched in the UK in 2012, Stand Up To Cancer has raised over £38m to fund over 40 clinical trials and research projects. These include the development of the ‘chemo package’ to deliver treatment at the best time for the patient; testing arsenic as a weapon to make cancers implode and using viruses to seek and destroy cancer cells. To find out more about fundraising activities visit Standuptocancer.org.uk or channel4.co.uk/SU2C