One of Cardiff’s major green spaces turned pink on June 1 as 8,000 women descended on Bute Park to take part in the Race for Life.
The 5km run around the park is a women’s-only event and aims to raise money for Cancer Research UK, the world’s leading independent organisation for cancer research.
Before the race there was a motivational talk from a leading member of the charity.
This was followed by a video that showed the stories of people who had beaten cancer, as well as those who had been lost to the disease.
After the video the park was silent as the participants thought about their loved ones.
Carys Murphy, one of the runners who completed the race, said: “There wasn’t a dry eye out there, it was so moving seeing everyone with a common bond.
“We all know someone who has been lost to cancer, or is affected by it.”
To raise awareness of why each runner was taking part in the race, every participant was given a pink piece of paper on which they could write personal messages to loved ones or explain who they were racing for.
Joy Harding and Nicole Bunn both took part in the race.
They commented that the messages were “poignant” and that it was “really inspiring to know that everyone was raising money to help other people”.
Events are still taking place across the UK, with four more happening in Wales over the next few months.
There is another Race for Life event in Bute Park on Wednesday July 2 at 7.30pm, in which 7,300 women are expected to race.
Prospective participants can enter by visiting www.raceforlife.org.
Last year the Race for Life events across the country raised £400 million for Cancer Research UK.
It is hoped that this success can be matched or beaten during the 2008 events.
