KATY Sweetman, whose husband Jeremy was diagnosed with terminal cancer when she was four months pregnant with their second child, is urging Oxfordshire’s women to help find a cure for cancer this summer.

Mrs Sweetman, 39, watched helplessly as her husband Jeremy battled liver cancer for the chance to see his two young daughters grow.

Now, 16 months after her husband lost his brave cancer battle, Mrs Sweetman and her daughters Ofelia, 11, and Sofia, eight, are sharing his inspirational story in the hope of helping others.

Mrs Sweetman said: “We want people diagnosed with cancer never to give up and to encourage women to enter this year’s Race for Life to raise money for life-saving research.”

Mr Sweetman, originally from Wallingford, and a manager for the Walon transport company near Bicester, was diagnosed with cancer of the liver just two weeks before Christmas in 2001.

He had gone to the doctor about an unrelated matter but was referred for tests because of extreme weight loss. They confirmed cancer in his bowel had spread to his liver and, aged just 37, he was given just three months to live if initial treatment did not work.

As his condition rapidly deteriorated Mr Sweetman pinned his hopes on a new chemotherapy drug being tested in a clinical trial at the Churchill Hospital in Oxford.

Within a couple of months he had started to gain weight and a scan indicated he was responding well to treatment.

His wife gave birth to their second daughter Sofia in May 2002, having been induced at 11 days overdue to fit around Jeremy’s treatment, so he could attend the birth.

She said: “He was extremely tired, but it was a very emotional experience neither of us wanted him to miss.

“Jeremy continued to respond well to a succession of trial drugs until he ran out of options and faced having to resort to standard chemotherapy treatment, which did not give us much hope.”

Mr Sweetman’s condition again started to deteriorate and Jeremy died with his wife by his side in November 2009.

Mrs Sweetman and their daughters scattered some of his ashes over Wittenham Clumps near Didcot.

Mrs Sweetman said: “He was a very brave man. He never complained and we love and miss him so much.”

Just weeks after her husband was diagnosed, Mrs Sweetman took part in her first Race for Life in Oxford. She took part for the second time again last year after he died.

She said: “Race for Life is a big thing for us. The atmosphere also helped us all, especially reading the reasons on women’s back-signs about why they are taking part. We didn’t feel so alone.”

JOIN THE EFFORT

This year’s Race for Life in Oxford takes place at the University Parks on Sunday, June 26.

Last year 6,342 women raised £363,555. This year it is hoped 9,300 women will raise £673, 000.

Event organiser Becky Ryczowski said: “I hope Katy’s very moving story will encourage women throughout Oxfordshire to sign up. This year we need our Race for Life regulars, women who took part years ago as well as many new faces to help save more lives.”

Women in Oxfordshire can enter Race for Life at their local Cancer Research UK shop, online at: raceforlife.org or by calling 0871 641 1111.