A breast cancer survivor is making sure awareness is at the forefront this Mother's Day as she prepares to take on a different type of challenge.
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Nothing like beating the life threatening disease, but still tough, Lauren Reed is gearing up to tackle the 5km run with her young son as part of the annual Mother's Day Classic.
She will be joining more than 200 runners and walkers as they scrap the traditional breakfast in bed to instead raise vital funds for breast cancer research.
"Awareness is a big thing that the Mother's Day Classic and other similar events bring to the forefront," Mrs Reed said.
"It is really important that people are self aware. Cancer does not discriminate."
Treatments sometimes feel like death
- Lauren Reed
Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017, Mrs Reed said the pink event synonymous with cancer is especially close to her heart as the funding is directed to research.
"Treatments are evolving quickly, but we still need to advance, sometimes the treatment feels worse than the cancer," Mrs Reed said.
"It is really hard to get your head around having to deal with chemo as a preventative treatment when it actually makes you feel worse.
"You really have to get worse before you can get better, so it is important that so many people are making the effort to come out to raise funds for better treatment."
In its third year, Katherine has raised more than $44,000 from people participating in the Mother's Day Classic.
Over 21 years, the nation wide initiative has raised $35.3 million for breast cancer research - equating to funding 64 research projects and more than 250 Australian scientists.
Keeping the event alive after the inaugural run in Katherine in 2017, Mrs Reed said she is constantly blown away by the support.
"To see how many people turn up each year and continue to turn up is touching and humbling."
Registrations open for the Mother's Day Classic at 7am this Sunday at the Pop Rocket Cafe.
For more information head to the Facebook page here.
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