AFTER the success of this year’s Race for Life, with £64,051 raised for Cancer Research UK, let’s look back on some of the inspirational people who got involved 10 years ago.

An inspirational little girl started everyone off by sounding the horn to launch the runners for the start of their race. Josie Corry, aged five, was diagnosed with leukaemia in September 2014, but her zest for life was on show when she got the chance to address over 2,500 women at Vivary Park as they gathered to help raise money for charity.

Josie was all smiles on the day as her mum, Jessica, described. Jessica said: “She is now at the age where she understands it all and what she has been through, but she is just brilliant and an inspiration to us.”

Jessica also described how Josie thoroughly enjoyed her moment in the spotlight on the day.

She added: “She loved it. She said a few words to start with, and talked about her treatment and how she felt when she was diagnosed.”

“Then she sounded the horn to start the race, which she was really chuffed to do.”

Organisers at the event were very proud to announce how many people got involved on the day and how much they had raised in total.

In 2014, everyone who got involved worked hard to achieve their fundraising target of £162,000.

Maxine Bateman was the Taunton Race for Life event manager at the time. She said: “It was a fantastic event and we’re really pleased with how it went.”

“We’d like to thank our volunteers, helpers and assistants – we cannot do it without them.”

Race for Life is Cancer Research UK’s biggest series of fundraising events. Starting with the first-ever event back in 1994, 750 female runners raised £48,000.

Since then, Race for Life has grown into hundreds of events across the country including Taunton, collectively raising over £970 million for life-saving treatments.

You can donate to Cancer Research UK here: raceforlife.cancerresearchuk.org/about-us/donate.