I'm doing this for you mum

2:00pm Wednesday 16th January 2008

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RACHEL Forster is preparing to endure a gruelling half marathon for her mum who is dying from pancreatic cancer.

Her mum Joanna knows more about the disease than most, as she was a chief biomedical scientist at the Royal United Hospital in Bath.

Joanna, 54, a widow, studied cancer for her doctorate and has worked at the Great Western Hospital.

She underwent chemotherapy for about four months in 2007, but it didn't help.

She knew there was little hope after she was diagnosed in 2006, as she says that medical research hasn't moved on enough.

"Pancreatic cancer is becoming much more common," she said. "But the prognosis for the cancer hasn't changed for years.

"There hasn't been any medical breakthroughs in this area of cancer."

The family want to try to support more research so Rachel is running the Reading Half Marathon in March for Pancreatic Cancer UK.

Joanna is impressed by her daughter's determination to do the half marathon even though she hates running.

"I am so proud of Rachel as she swore she would never run," said Joanna.

"Seeing her do increasingly long distances is great. She is out running three days a week no matter what the weather."

Rachel, 22, said: "Mum wasn't supposed to live out last year.

"She looks well but is very tired."

The pair live together in Gorse Hill and share a passion for horses.

"The run means the world to me," said Rachel, a emergency-call handler for Thames Valley Police.

"I want to show other people they can get out there to help others. I was devastated when I found out about mum. Being parentless at 22 is not a nice idea.

"But the family decided something good should come out of something so terrible."

Rachel also completed the 5K Race For Life at Lydiard Park.

"I've been training all through Christmas," she said.

"I'm not a runner and not built for it. If is hard for me to get fit."

Rachel's aunt, Jenny Thorne, and uncle Jon Harper are running alongside her.

To pledge support, visit: http://www.justgiving.com/racheljennyjon.

Rachel is also seeking sponsorship from companies. She can be contacted on 07771 873814 To find out more about efforts to fund research into pancreatic cancer visit www.pancreaticcancer.org. uk.