A MERSEYSIDE mother who was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 25 launched 2009’s Race For Life yesterday at Liverpool One.

Niccie Norton, from St Helens, urged the women of Merseyside to walk, jog or run the 5k race and fund vital research to help save lives.

She was joined by a group of female researchers based at the University of Liverpool who are all funded by Cancer Research UK and will be taking part in Race for Life this summer.

Mother-of-two Mrs Norton, 29, was diagnosed with breast cancer in March 2005.

She will be guest of honour and will be setting off the participants at the Race for Life event in St Helens on June 17.

She said yesterday: “I was devastated when I was diagnosed with cancer. But thanks to research, I am here today.

“I want to invite the women of Merseyside to do something amazing by entering Race for Life and asking their friends, sisters, mothers, daughters and colleagues to take part as well.”

In 2008, 13,000 women took part in Race for Life at venues all over Merseyside and helped to raise £658,000 for Cancer Research UK.

University of Liverpool researcher Maria Maguire said: “We are very grateful to everyone who takes part in Race for Life.”

Enter Race for Life at www.raceforlife.org or call 0871 641 2282.