Just over a year after being diagnosed with an aggressive cancer, Barbara Kelly is fighting back by clocking up over 80 Park Runs and a challenging 10k run for charity.

Since being given the all-clear from high grade 4 Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma just before Christmas 2024, the Community Matron at Rotherham Foundation Trust pushed through her treatment with a determination to stay fit.

She said: “I won’t lie, chemo was really tough. I lost my hair and had some nasty side effects, and it didn’t just affect me, but all my family and close friends.

“But throughout this time. I was determined not to give in, and let this awful disease beat me. I love my job as a Community Matron and ACP but couldn't work while having treatment.

“So, I got out my trainers and decided to continue to do my park runs. Sometimes I walked and sometimes it felt like a crawl, but I was determined to get to 50 park runs by the end of 2024 and I'm now on 80!”

Along with her Park Run victories, Barbara recently completed a Chesterfield 10k to raise money for Lymphoma Action.

It was February 2024 when Barbara was diagnosed with no real symptoms other than a lump in her breast.

She said: “This was a real shock. However, after meeting my fantastic haematology team on a Friday my chemotherapy started on the Monday.”

Barbara underwent six intense chemotherapy sessions every three weeks to prevent the disease spreading and had two spells in hospital for high-dose infusions where being a nurse then being a patient was difficult.

But she has huge praise for the staff at Rotherham Hospital who put her at her ease while she completed several sessions of radiotherapy and for Lymphoma Action who helped her through her journey.

“My other Lymphoma buddies taught me that life didn’t have to stop, even with treatment, and we could all support each other.

“Life’s really good for me at the moment, and I’m now adjusting to the new me and being back at work and spending precious time with my family and friends.”

Barbara recommends movement and exercise as a way of helping to stay fit and positive during treatment and recovery.

“I believe that even the most minimal exercise and increased movement where possible can help with resilience, recovery and improved mental health.”