A Manx mum of two, who has helped raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for cancer research has been awarded an international honour.

Nicola Walkingshaw, 37, a breast cancer survivor, has been selected as a Relay For Life Global Hero of Hope by the American Cancer Society.

Nicola has taken part in the event since 2011 and was event chair between 2013 and 2015.

The lawyer, from Douglas, will now act as a Relay For Life ambassador, sharing her story of overcoming cancer and her experience of leading the fundraising event with others in the fight against cancer.

Relay For Life is a global overnight fundraising festival for cancer research and takes place in more than 20 countries, including the United States and Australia.

The Isle of Man has held an event since 2010 at the National Sports Centre in Douglas where teams of between eight to 15 people take it in turns to walk round a track while everyone else enjoys a wide range of fun activities on offer.

Team members not on the track take turns to rest, eat, or sleep in their tents, which are set up in the middle of the site. The event includes a lap of honour for cancer survivors and a Candle of Hope ceremony in memory or in celebration of loved ones.

Nicola entered the relay with her family to honour her late mother who lost her bowel cancer battle in late 2010.

She was event chair for three years between 2013 and 2015. During her three years as chair, Isle of Man Relay raised almost £300,000.

Nicola said: ’Although Mum sadly died later in 2010 followed by my nana just one month later due to a cancerous brain tumour, each time I volunteer for Relay, I know that I am doing something to make it better for all of those families relying on research to save their lives, or those of their loved ones.

’After taking part in the event, I saw some huge opportunities to reach out to our community and to get local involvement increased, to maximise fundraising and put the event on the local map. I knew that engaging with the community to fight against cancer would turn such a hugely negative time in my life into a massively positive experience.’

Nicola and her committee increased the number of teams to more than 50, and participants to almost 1,000.

During her third year as event chair, in June 2015, Nicola was herself diagnosed with breast cancer. She was treated with chemotherapy, a mastectomy and radiotherapy between July 2015 and February 2016 and has just finished a course of Herceptin, and will continue to take Tamoxifen for the next 10 years.

Nicola said: ’My family, particularly my husband and children made my life worthwhile before this ordeal and throughout treatment they were all I focussed on. My family and friends rallied round and each in individual ways took care of my mind while doctors took care of my body. I continued to organise and chair Relay in 2016 whilst undergoing chemotherapy and actually it kept me busy and gave me the motivation to keep going, although being exhausting mentally and physically.

’Cancer has affected too many members of my family and for the benefit of my son and daughter, now aged just eight and five, I want to change the outcomes for their and future generations.

’I am absolutely thrilled to hear about the discoveries that scientists are making every day and I am confident that the work of a charity like Cancer Research UK is absolutely necessary for that to happen.

’Some of the treatments I have had are "new" drugs that weren’t available years ago. To know that discoveries are being made daily is incredible.’

Cancer Research UK funds the work of scientists, doctors and nurses who are dedicated to beating cancer by understanding its causes and investigating how best to prevent, diagnose and treat it.

Isle of Man Relay For Life is free to enter this year and money raised funds research in the North West, where people from the Isle of Man are treated.

The Isle of Man Relay for Life takes place at the National Sports Centre, Groves Road, Douglas, for 24 hours on August 26, starting at 12pm.

This year the event is free to take part and is sponsored by Poker Stars.