Clapham Common’s Moonwalk needs your help to beat breast cancer

A fun walk which has raised £133 million for breast cancer causes is looking to be even bigger this year, its 23rd staging.

Organisers of Clapham Common’s Moonwalk expect thousands of participants aged 13 and over for the night walk from midnight on May 16.

Its futuristic ‘Out of this World’ theme will feature decorated bras in celebration of the new era – expect robots, spaceships, cyborgs and all things extraordinary.

The sky will turn pink as many of London’s famous landmarks will be illuminated in honour of everyone uniting against breast cancer.

Lawyer, Claire Kelly, 36, was diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2018, just 10 weeks after giving birth.

Last year, she took on The MoonWalk London, with a team of friends and family, raising nearly £19,000 to help fight breast cancer.

Claire said: “I found a lump in my breast when I was feeding my baby daughter Amelia. At first I thought it was a blocked milk duct, but after a few weeks, when it hadn’t gone away, I visited my GP who sent me for a scan. The following month I was diagnosed with breast cancer.

“The first three weeks after my diagnosis were horrendous. We were waiting to see whether the cancer had spread, and I was subjected to a barrage of tests.

“I spent quite a lot of time staring at our beautiful little girl and mourning what I now assumed would be our short-lived future together. My husband Hugh and I didn’t sleep.

“If parenthood had introduced us to sleep deprivation, cancer took it up to an extreme level. Cancer had also drastically altered our perception of what was good news, so when we were finally told that it was stage two, we felt an overwhelming sense of relief and both of us clung to that one word – “curable”.

“We gradually settled into our new routine of hospital appointments, injections, chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy and become experts in medical jargon and treatment options.

“There were still plenty of low moments such as the long lists of side effects, the weekend my hair decided to fall out, the scans to see whether chemo was working, waiting for the genetic test results and my personal least favourite, the drug-induced acne. But, somehow, with the help of an army of family and friends, we muddled through it.

“As time progressed, I realised I needed to set myself some challenges to help me get through my treatment. It was Hugh who suggested exercising, he said it always made me happier.

“I wrote myself daily goals, and even if I was having a day where I didn’t feel like doing anything, I would push myself to do it.

“I walked the 45 minutes to my chemotherapy sessions over Putney Heath and Wimbledon Common, and set myself the goal of walking 1,000km during chemo. Every time I left the house, I felt better.

“My friend Nick Lyras, a personal trainer, would travel from across the other side of London to meet me in Wandsworth Park. Nick would hold Amelia while he put me through my paces.

“In February last year, I had a lumpectomy and I’m sure I recovered quickly because I remained fit and strong throughout my treatment.

“In March last year, after 14 rounds of chemo, radiotherapy and the lumpectomy, I received the news that the cancer had gone. At the same time, I had reached my 1,000km goal and needed a new challenge.

“The MoonWalk London sounded like the perfect event to celebrate my recovery.

“Alongside my husband, my twin brother AJ, by older brother Adam, my sister-in-law Grainne, my old boss Alex, and my dear friends Bethan, Anna, Matt and Dom, we walked the full marathon distance through the night. It was cold and dark, but we were determined.

“There was laughter, silence, dancing, trudging, glitter and blisters. At about 5am, the sun came up, breaking through the clouds on the horizon. It was the most hopeful, joyous moment and it felt like the sun was coming up on my journey through cancer.”

The MoonWalk London raises millions of pounds in one night to help fight breast cancer. Walk the Walk’s aim is that by 2050 nobody should die from breast cancer and funds raised from the event will help fund more research to make this aim a reality.

There is either a Half Moon Plus (15.1 miles) or Full Moon (26.2 miles). Sign up now at here.

Pictured top is Claire Kelly with husband Huge before her breast cancer diagnosis.