HEALTH visitor Kathy Sewell ran her first marathon on Sunday just months after cancer treatment.

Mrs Sewell, aged 53, was diagnosed with colon cancer in October 2003, and after surgery undertook six months of chemotherapy before a lengthy recovery period.

Mrs Sewell said: "I had never run a marathon before. It was really hard and took five-and-a-half hours, but it was just amazing and very emotional. It was a fantastic atmosphere."

Running was a way of getting her fitness back after the chemotherapy, and even though the furthest she had run before was a half marathon in the 1999 Great North Run, she was determined to run the whole 2005 London marathon.

Mrs Sewell said: "It has been hard work. There is a programme you can follow; you do one long run once a week, with shorter ones during the week."

Her aim is to raise around £2,000, all of which will go to the colorectal unit at Warrington Hospital and Clatterbridge Cancer Campaign.

Anyone who would like to make a donation can send it to Mrs Sewell via Westbrook Medical Centre, Westbrook Crescent, Warrington, WA5 8UF, or call her on 860235.