Breast-cancer survivor Talie Wood has been helping shoppers reflect on the reasons behind the popular Race for Life event which took place in Chichester earlier this year.
She visited the Cancer Research UK charity shop to launch a special window display featuring scores of messages women wore on their backs at the event.
Many of the messages include moving tributes to those lost to cancer while others celebrate those who have triumphed over it.
Talie, of Taylors Lane, Chichester, was diagnosed in 2006, and wrote about her own experience in a special column in the Observer Magazine.
Last year she took part in the Race for Life and raised £400.
She said: "I don't know anyone who hasn't been touched by cancer, either directly or indirectly. Each back-sign message reminds me the reasons for wanting to beat cancer are very real and close to us all.
"Seeing all the other messages on Race for Life day made me feel I was part of something special – something that could make a real difference to beating cancer.
"I hope this display makes people stop and think, and hopefully encourage those who crossed the finish line to return their sponsorship money.
"I'd also like to think those who didn't take part this year will hopefully be inspired to join their local Race for Life in 2009."
The display is a tribute to all those who ran, jogged or walked the course on July 13.
Shop manager Lyn Day said: "Like Race for Life, our shop is very much part of this local community.
"The messages on the back-signs are a poignant reminder more than one in three people in the UK will develop cancer at some point in their lives.
"Every back-sign is written for somebody's mum or dad, sister or brother, son or daughter, friend or colleague."
It is hoped it will also serve as a reminder for participants to return their sponsor money as soon as possible after one in three women who took part in last year's nationwide Race for Life series failed to fundraise.
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The full article contains 421 words and appears in OS-Chichester Observer newspaper.
