Express & Star

Star Witness: Who will you Race for Life for?

Published
Last updated

Are you running Race for Life in memory of a loved one?

more

Send their picture and your story to Star Witness.

Two friends will swap trainers for high heels when they take part in Race for Life in memory of one of their closest pals.

Donna Lloyd and Lucille Mackay are ditching their trainers and putting on the heels
Georganne Griffin passed away aged just 52

Donna Lloyd from Bradmore and Lucille Mackay of Penn will be taking part in next month's fundraising extravaganza in Wolverhampton's West Park in honour of Georgeanne Griffin who lost her life to breast cancer in December at the age of 53.

The pair, who have already raised hundreds of pounds for Cancer Research UK, are doing the annual 5km race in high heels on June 10 because stilettos were one of Georgeanne's passions and she often claimed she was 'born in heels'.

The friends said mother-of-two Georgeanne was devoted to giving back to the community. After working for many years at Beatties department store, she became a school governor at St Michael's Primary, where her two children Sophia and Charlotte attended. She also helped out at a charity shop and was a regular helper at St Michael's Roman Catholic Church in Penn. She too entered Race For Life events.

Both Donna and Lucille knew Georgeanne as parents when taking and collecting their children to and from the Lower Street school.

Donna, 43, said: "Georgeanne was a beautiful person inside and out who loved her heels.

"Even in her darkest days she was seen in stylish, glamorous and always in her trademark heels.

"Me and Lucille just felt doing the Race for Life in heels would be a fitting way to remember her and raise money.

"It is never a nice time to lose someone but losing Georgeanne just before Christmas was so sad and hard to cope with. Saying goodbye to her was so hard."

The fundraising mission has gone down a storm so far, raising almost £1,000 - nearly 10 times more than what both Donna and Lucille first targeted.

[related_posts title="More on Race for Life"]

"To have raised this much so far is testament to the love everyone felt for her," Donna added.

Starting at 7.30pm, the charity race starts within the park and then takes participants out along Park Road West. The course then re-enters West Park and follows many of its tarmac paths, passing the bandstand, boating lake and the play area.

[comments_cta]

Last year's event in Wolverhampton saw more than 2,000 women take part.

Georgeanne's husband Geoff, 53, said he was so thrilled for Donna and Lucille to have raised so much money.

Georgeanne and Geoff Griffin who were married for 27 years
Georgeanne with her two daughters Sophia,19, and Charlotte, 11

Mr Griffin, who was married to Georgeanne for 27 years, said: "What Donna and Lucille are doing is a wonderful and touching gesture to Georgeanne's life.

"She was a devoted and caring person who always wanted the best for her family and friends.

"The past four months or so have been difficult for the family and it is so nice to see something positive coming from sad circumstances.

"Her death happened so fast. She was all fine then four months later she died of breast cancer.

"Everyone misses her so much."

To sponsor Lucille and Donna, click here for their JustGiving page.

Send your stories and pictures to Star Witness.

[userupload]

[gallery]