Parents and staff at a village primary school near Loggerheads are uniting to support its headteacher in her fight against breast cancer.
Judy Udale broke the news to colleagues at St Mary’s Primary School in Mucklestone shortly after she was diagnosed with the condition in February.
A group of staff members, former pupils and parents with children at the school are to take part in the Race for Life event at Trentham Gardens, Stoke-on-Trent on June 9.
More than £350 has been raised so far for Cancer Research UK and the group has pledged to complete the 5km run with Judy’s name on their vests.
Claire Martin, 40, from Loggerheads, who came up with the idea, said: “I thought about doing Race for Life on my own but I decided it would be more fun to do it with other people.
“The secretary put a note in the school newsletter and people started to come forward.
“When we heard that Mrs Udale had got cancer, we thought we’d do it in support of her as well because it affects a lot of people.”
The group from St Mary’s will be among 5,000 women taking part in the annual event which aims to raise more than £250,000 for cancer research.
Teaching assistant Denise Keen, said: “Judy called us together before half term in February and it was quite devastating when she told us about her cancer.
“I said straight away that we would take part in the run because it was something practical and another way to say to her ‘we’re behind you.’
“It has brought people together because we’re a community school and we’re working that much harder to keep the school going as Judy would want it.”
Judy, 57, who is married with two sons, said she was “particularly touched” by the group’s decision to wear her name on their vests and hoped to return to the school next year.
“The cancer came as a shock because it’s not something you think you’re ever going to have to face but having been given the diagnosis, there’s only one way to look and that’s forward,” she said.
“The school has been in constant touch, friends and family have been absolutely wonderful and they’ve all rallied round to give me support.”
Anyone wishing to make a donation should contact the school on 01630 672126 or visit www.justgiving.com/stmarysmucklestone.
By Winston Brown
