In the past couple of years she has raised thousands of pounds for cancer charities and on Sunday organised her latest effort – a s
ponsored walk in Roundhay Park for the Jo Trust.

Unfortunately she was not able to take part herself because of ill health.

She said: "I didn't feel well, but I didn't want to miss it so went along and sat down. I have been having problems with my bladder and bowels and a few weeks ago had to go to hospital when I started haemorrhaging.

"It was a good day and lots of people turned up despite the rain."
Local celebrity DJ Danny Bond completed the whole three miles and gave a donation.

"We also had a minute's silence for all the women who have died from cervical cancer, " said Debra.

The Jo Trust is the only internet-based charity to support women with cervical cancer and Debra, 34, has been involved for three years.
She said: "It has given me hope in my life. I have met people on there who have been cancer-free for 10 years and that makes you positive to carry on."

Debra organised one of a series of nationwide Jo Trust Walks with Elaine Davies, of Halifax, who has had cancer twice and had both her bladder and bowel removed.

The event has already brought in £1,500, but is expected to reach around £2,000 when all the sponsorship money is collected.

It was also filmed by Channel 4 for a Dispatches programme which will be shown on June 30 about the new vaccine for cervical cancer which is to be made available to schoolgirls from September.

Debra discovered she was suffering from cervical cancer just weeks before she gave birth by emergency caesarean section to her daughter Ellie seven weeks early in August 2004.

She had chemotherapy and radiotherapy and still has three-monthly check-ups.

"I get real benefit from doing all this fundraising because I know how important it is, " she said.

The Jo Trust was set up by London businessman James Maxwell in memory of his wife, Jo, who died from cervical cancer aged 40.

* For more information visit: www.jotrust.co.uk