A MUM from Cirencester has described the terror she felt at being diagnosed with cancer at the same time her own mother was dying from the disease.

Cheryl Harrison, 44, was devastated after her mother, Dorothy Owen, died in the middle of her own life-saving cancer treatment.

“It was such a horrible time,” said Cheryl. “To know I had cancer and watch my mum die from the terrible disease was totally terrifying.”

But now the mum-of-three – who has completed the treatment and is on her way to a full recovery – is taking part in this year’s Cirencester Race for Life, and is calling on other women to do the same.

Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life raises millions of pounds every year to help beat 200 different types of cancer. This year the event is at Cirencester Park on Sunday, July 19.

Cheryl was diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2013 as her mum battled oesophageal cancer.

As Cheryl went through a course of gruelling treatment – including a mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy – her mum, aged 77, suddenly died.

“Last year was one I would not want to go through again,” she said. “When I was diagnosed and saw my mum was dying I thought ‘that could be me’. ”

With her mum battling her own illness, Cheryl initially decided not to tell her. But doctors advised Cheryl to break her own bad news just before having major surgery.

“Mum had been so brave. When I told her I had cancer she just cried and asked ‘why is this happening to us?’.

“But it almost gave her a purpose and she was determined to see me through my treatment and she did some of the way.”

Cheryl lives with her husband Will, 45, and together they have three children – Owen, 13, Elin, 11 and Griff, seven.

“I spent the first year after diagnosis thinking I was also going to die and what I could miss from my own children’s lives,” she said.

“The hardest thing was telling them. It was particularly hard for my daughter, having seen her mum and grandmother with cancer. She was worried she would get it.

Cheryl and her children are regular participants at Race for Life. Last year she took part just two weeks after completing chemotherapy treatment and 96 friends join her team Cheryl’s Angels.

To enter Race for Life go to raceforlife.org