By Linzi Watson

Last updated 23:10, Saturday, 19 April 2008

Two Carlisle sisters will take part in the Race For Life this summer in memory of their best friend, who died before she got the chance to do the run herself.

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Kerry Metcalfe

Kerry Metcalfe died on January 11, aged 31, after a long battle which saw her fight cancer into remission before it again returned.

Sisters Sinead Watson, 34, and Erin Gracey, 32, from the city centre have vowed to carry out their friend’s wishes by pounding the 5km track at the Sheepmount stadium in July.

And the inspirational women have even more reason to take part as they lost their mum, Agnes Gracey, to ovarian cancer in 2001 at the age of 58.

Sinead, who has run the Race for Life eight times before, said: “My mum got cancer and then went into remission and then it came back.

“She battled the disease for four to five years.

“She was really caring.

“Mum was a disciplinarian but had a real soft side.”

Agnes also had two other daughters, Lisa and Kerry.

Erin and Sinead could hardly belive it when their, funny, bubbly, friend was also struck down years later with cervical cancer.

Sinead said: “I was awful to watch Kerry because she suffered in a similar way to my mum.”

Trained beauty therapist Kerry was mum to 12-year-old son Ashley and had been married just seven months to husband Wayne when she died. Erin and Sinead were her bridesmaids.

“We grew up together and had been best friends for 13 years,” said Erin.

“I also had three children with her brother Richard, so we were like sisters-in-law.

“Sinead became close friends with Kerry about seven or eight years ago and we all used to go out on the town together.”

Sinead added: “Kerry was so funny, and very girly.

“She loved pink and shopping and clothes and shoes.”

Kerry got the all clear after radiotherapy and chemotherapy to tackle the cervical cancer cells.

But a rogue cell in her blood stream sparked the return of the disease.

Erin added: “She never complained. I think she tried to play it down.”

Towards the end of her life Kerry was treated in the Eden Valley Hospice which is where she died.

The sisters want to express their thanks to the staff there and at the Cumberland Infirmary.

Sinead added: “If Kerry could see us running she would be proud and pleased. She would have been 32 in February and we all had a night out on the town to celebrate. We miss her so much. It is still so raw.”

n Are you taking part in Race for Life this year? Have you run before in celebration or in memory of a suffer or are you a cancer survivor yourself? We want to hear your story. Contact reporter Linzi Watson by email at lwatson@cngroup.co.uk or telephone 01228 612643.

n To sign up for the event on Sunday July 13 visit www.raceforlife.org/northeast or call 08705 134314.

LWatson@cngroup.co.uk