Gosport mother-of-two overcomes cancer diagnosis, cheating husband and daughter losing her job in worst month of her life to run London Marathon

Last year the 55-year-old had planned to move back to be closer to the family and friends she had left in Gosport over 30 years ago.

The mother-of-two had been told by her husband the month before he was having an affair with another woman.

Cheryl said: ‘I decided to move back after that bombshell and I had my car all packed up ready to move as I was driving straight to Portsmouth after my mammogram appointment. The very next day I was due to start my job at the Portsmouth job centre.

‘But hearing the words you have cancer was horrible. I went into automatic mode and I just thought I need to call my new boss and tell her I can’t start work tomorrow because I have Grade 3 breast cancer.’

As Cheryl left the surgery with the doctor’s advice not to move the following day, she received a phone call.

She said: ‘I got back to my car and was not looking forward to driving back to the house I had just left with all my stuff packed ready for a new life that had been stopped in its tracks. Then my phone rang and it was my daughter.

‘She told me she and her partner had lost their jobs as the company they worked for had gone into liquidation. That company was owned by my now ex husband.’

But Cheryl was determined to turn round the worst month of her life and dived straight into surgery and chemotherapy before completing her move to Portsmouth in September last year.

She said: ‘I was not going to let what happened get in my way of enjoying life and I decided that I wanted to run the Great South Run and got all my siblings to join up as well so we could run together and raise money.’

Unfortunately Cheryl was unable to run the race in October last year but decided to take on a bigger challenge with younger brother Steve Carter.

She said: ‘I saw on Facebook that Worldwide Cancer Research wanted people to run for them in the London Marathon and I signed up because I want to give back to the people that helped me.

‘Not only that but my type of cancer can come back easily and although I take pills and am on a trial to prevent it, it is possible so the more research that is done the better.’

Cheryl has been taking part in park runs in Lee-on-the-Solent with Steve in training for the 26-mile run on Sunday, April 28. 

Steve, 34, said: ‘Cheryl has done amazingly well to get through everything and I and the rest of the family are so proud of her.

‘I signed up after Cheryl and was pleased that they are letting us run together to raise money although I am slightly nervous for it.’

The former Bay House School pupils have set out to raise £4,400 for the charity before the race next month.

Cheryl added: ‘I am so proud of how far I have come. I now absolutely love running and I am a size 10! I have never been a size 10 in my life and I feel absolutely fabulous.’

To donate visit uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Team/CarterMarathon