A CANCER survivor is determined to complete the London Marathon, having last year missed out through injury.

Seren Hughes, 22, is taking part to raise money for CLIC Sargent, a UK cancer charity for children and young people.

Seren, from Ewloe, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2015, aged just 19, after she began feeling unwell during her first year at Salford University.

She said: “As a student I thought I was just going out too much and I was a bit run down. I’ve always been health conscious, so when I noticed that I’d put a bit of weight on my stomach I started going to the gym more and cutting down on bad food to try to shift it.”

After no signs of improvement, Seren went to the general practitioner for a blood test. The next day she received a call telling her she needed an emergency appointment.

Doctors discovered a cyst and Seren then had surgery to remove her left ovary and fallopian tube. Two weeks later Seren was told they had found cancerous cells and she underwent chemotherapy.

Seren said: “My mum and dad burst into tears while I was just asking lots of questions about what was going to happen next.

“I was really determined to get through that period and planned loads of things for once the chemo was over like a big family barbecue and going to a music festival with my friends. I didn’t want to miss out.”

Seren is determined to give something back to CLIC Sargent, having being supported by the charity’s social workers while she was ill.

“CLIC Sargent were an amazing support while I was unwell,” she said. “My social worker helped me to apply for grants which helped with the extra costs during treatment, and they also introduced me to the charity’s Young Person’s Reference Group, where I met other young people affected by a cancer diagnosis.

“I was really upset when I had to pull out of last year’s London Marathon because of my knee. It was only about a month before I was due to run that it became obvious I’d hurt myself and wouldn’t be able to go through with it.

“It feels right this year though, I feel more prepared and ready to go. I’ve been able to do more training and taken on a couple of half marathons to get myself used to distance running.

“I’m excited to get going now. All of my family are going to be there cheering me on towards the last couple of miles so I think that will really give me a boost. I’m not putting lots of pressure on myself to finish in a certain time, I’m just focused on getting around.”

Laura Jade, sports and challenge events manager at CLIC Sargent, said: “When cancer strikes young lives we fight tirelessly to limit the damage it causes beyond their health through practical, emotional and financial support. We rely entirely on donations to fund our vital work and so we can’t thank Seren enough for her fantastic efforts.

“This big challenge Seren is taking on will make a massive difference for young people with cancer by helping us ensure they are getting the right support they need.”