Daughter to honour late mother at Sunderland Race For Life as she follows in her footsteps with the NHS

Before Maria Welsh died in July 2021, aged just 46, she proudly watched her daughter Kyler Welsh start her biomedical science degree.

Kyler, 26, is due to graduate and take up the same NHS biomedical scientist role as Maria. Kyler and her colleagues, who also worked with Maria, take on the 5k race at Herrington Park on Sunday, May 28. They also competed in 2022, raising more than £2,400.

Kyler, from Hendon, wants women and men across the North East to join and celebrate 30 years of Race for Life by raising vital money for research. Her job at South of Tyne and Wear Pathology Services, includes helping to identify abnormal cells which could indicate if a patient has a blood cancer, such as leukaemia.

Kyler said: “Partly because of my job, I know there’s new research going on constantly, so it’s important to keep the funding going.

“It’s not worked out for my mam but it works out for so many others.”

“Mam was amazing; she was so bubbly and smiling and full of life. Everyone loved her to bits. She loved seeing her friends, she was so social, so giving, she would do anything for anyone.

“She loved spending time with me. Because it was only me and her, we were like best mates. Me and her just going to the shops was a good day for her. It was little things, we didn’t have to do anything special.

“Mam was a mature student. She went off and did her degree when I was going to secondary school. She was a single mum and wanted to make a better life.”

Every year around 19,500 North East people are diagnosed with cancer. Half the people in the UK born after 1960 will get cancer in their lifetime.

Cancer Research UK spokesperson Michaela Robinson-Tate said: “We are grateful to Kyler and her colleagues for their support. We’d love for as many people as possible across the North East to join us during our 30th year of Race for Life.

"Sadly, cancer affects all of us in some way."

Race for Life is open to anyone, of any ability. To enter, visit www.raceforlife.org.