A pregnant mother who survived cancer will be among hundreds of people taking part in the Enfield Race for Life this weekend.

Jessica Chu, from Gordon Hill, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in August 2012, when her daughter Lili was just one.

Her brother-in-law was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoma at the same time and tragically died just a week later, but Jessica survived thanks to a fluke early diagnosis.

And this Sunday at 11am, the 34-year-old will take her place alongside other runners at the Enfield 5K and 10K event in Trent Park to raise money for Cancer Research UK – despite being six-months pregnant.

She said: “I might not be able to run the Race for Life this year in my condition but I’m determined to walk it.  My sister Allie will be joining me.  It’s our way of hitting cancer where it hurts.”

Jessica was undergoing surgery for a thyroid problem when doctors discovered to micro carcinomas - cancerous tumours.

The children’s photographer was able to have them removed at same time as her thyroid and she has since been given the all-clear, though her joy at her own survival was tempered by the death of her sister’s husband.

She said: “That whole time was so awful. I had been told my cancer had gone and yet my brother in law Ignacio’s was so aggressive he died just days after his diagnosis. He was just 30 and his youngest daughter was only four months old.

“I feel incredibly lucky that I opted for surgery and not the medication to control my thyroid condition, which I was also offered, as those tumours would have remained undetected and grown.

“So while I can celebrate my survival I know only too well how this disease destroys families and I want to do my bit to help raise money for life-saving treatment.”

To enter Race for Life’s 5k, 10k or Pretty Muddy events in London visit www.raceforlife.org or call 0845 600 6050.