Duo put best foot forward for Hartlepool's first Walk for Women

It's all systems go to get a brand new Hartlepool fundraising event into full swing.
Michelle Shield, left and and Deb Howarth.Michelle Shield, left and and Deb Howarth.
Michelle Shield, left and and Deb Howarth.

And as preparations for the first ever Walk for Women continue, two people revealed their support for the 5k challenge.

Deb Howarth and Michelle Shield, both 45, have already signed up to tackle the walk which is being organised by the town group Miles for Men.

Michelle, left, and Deb, right, get ready for Walk for Women  with the help of staff at Hartlepool & District Hospice.Michelle, left, and Deb, right, get ready for Walk for Women  with the help of staff at Hartlepool & District Hospice.
Michelle, left, and Deb, right, get ready for Walk for Women with the help of staff at Hartlepool & District Hospice.

Both have very personal reasons for getting involved.

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Seaton Carew resident Deb, who works as a booking clerk, had breast cancer herself in 2013. She found two lumps and it was confirmed as cancer.

A mastectomy, radiotherapy and chemotherapy followed but Deb has just had her third year of being all clear of problems.

She described the feelings she had when she first realised there was a problem. “Your world falls apart. You think ‘why me?’ but then I thought ‘why not me?’.

Michelle, left, and Deb, right, get ready for Walk for Women  with the help of staff at Hartlepool & District Hospice.Michelle, left, and Deb, right, get ready for Walk for Women  with the help of staff at Hartlepool & District Hospice.
Michelle, left, and Deb, right, get ready for Walk for Women with the help of staff at Hartlepool & District Hospice.

“I cried for a week and then thought ‘you are not getting any more tears from me’.

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“There is light at the end of the tunnel. There are people that can help you such as the hospice and different units at the hospital.”

Mum-of-one Deb plans to show her gratitude for all the support she received by doing the Walk for Women on July 31.

She will be joined by Michelle Shield, from the Rossmere area.

The sales assistant and mum-of-two lost her father Ken Natt to cancer four years ago.

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Michelle said: “We can not guarantee a cure for cancer, but we can help people.

“Miles for Men is making a difference to local people who are benefiting from their fundraising and it is brilliant that we now have the Walk for Women.

“It is family orientated and mums, nanas, aunties and little ones can all do it together.”

Walk for Women is being held on the same day as the Miles for Men 5k run and at the same venue of The Domes at Seaton Carew.

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Entry for either of the races is £10 for adults, £7.50 for those aged from six to 17, £5 for those aged five and under, and the events are free for anyone aged 65 and over. All entrants get a T-shirt and medal.

Registration for Walk for Women – and for Miles for Men – is now open online at www.milesformen.co.uk