Work colleagues were in the pink to remember the happy times when they took part in Derby’s Race for Life in memory of a much-loved colleague who died from cancer aged 50.
The group of 12 friends and colleagues from science company Lubrizol, whose UK headquarters is in Hazelwood near Belper, took part in the popular fundraiser at Markeaton Park on July 9 in memory of colleague Julie Hyde who passed away from cancer earlier this year.
Julie, of Belper, worked in the administration department of Lubrizol for many years, and was described as a “really, really good mentor” with a “heart of gold” by her close friend and colleague Nikky Waring.
Nikky, part of the group from Lubrizol who took part in Race for Life, said: “Julie was my mentor when I started at Lubrizol. She was so patient. Her favourite saying was: ‘Nikky, let’s walk before we can run!’ She was a really, really good mentor. You could ask her anything and she didn’t make you feel silly. We shared some sad times together and we shared some happy and some fun times. She had a heart of gold.”
Julie’s illness was discovered when she went to the doctor suffering with back ache which turned out to be breast cancer.
Colleague Kim Reid, who also took part in Race for Life in Julie’s memory, said: “She remained as positive as she could through it all. She said she was going to keep fighting and she did.
“It’s just so sad. She had got so much left to give. We all miss her but we all still talk about her often in the office as well. There are policies and procedures at work that we still use, that Julie created.”
The Lubrizol team of runners have so far raised nearly £3,000 for Cancer Research UK including a generous donation from Lubrizol.
Nikky said: “It was absolutely brilliant on the day – so good. A very well organised event. I’ve lost so many friends to cancer. I lost my mum to cancer when I was 18. It’s just so rife.”
Tom Grazier, chair of Lubrizol’s charities and communities committee, which contributed to the group’s Race for Life total, said: “Cancer has obviously touched everyone’s lives in some way so we were very happy to contribute to our colleagues from Lubrizol who were taking part in Race for Life, in memory of Julie Hyde. It’s clearly a cause that is very close to many people’s hearts. At Lubrizol we are always happy to support fellow employees in their efforts to contribute to great causes like this one.”
To donate to the Lubrizol group’s Race for Life fundraiser, click here: Lubrizol (cancerresearchuk.org)
