Two Scottish women who became friends after being diagnosed with cancer within weeks of each other have helped raise more than £600,000 through a charity running event. Alison Garven, 54, from East Renfrewshire, and Kirsty Ogilvie, 44, from Renfrewshire, sounded the starting horn at the Race for Life in Glasgow on Sunday, May 17.
Around 5,000 participants took part in either 5km or 3km runs, raising a total of £642,321 for Cancer Research UK. Both women inherited a faulty gene that increases their risk of some cancers, but they have now received the happy news that they are cancer free.
Ms Garven was diagnosed with a form of breast cancer in 2024, and Ms Ogilvie was diagnosed with breast cancer the following month. They first met through a support group related to the faulty gene. Ms Garven said: 'Kirsty came into my life at exactly the right time. Our friendship meant there was someone there for me who completely understood what I was going through.'
Ms Ogilvie added: 'Meeting Alison made a huge difference and continues to do so. There's something powerful about chatting to someone who has walked the same path.' Lisa Adams, Cancer Research UK's spokeswoman in Scotland, praised the participants and urged them to return their sponsorship money promptly.
