LIVA Barlow-Olsen was only 18 months old when she lost her father Caspar to an aggressive brain tumour.

This June, the two-year-old will cheer on her mother Lois, her aunt Claire and about 9,500 other Oxfordshire women trying to defeat cancer for good by taking part in Race for Life.

In 2007 an estimated 8,000 women took part in Race for Life in the county. But this year Cancer Research UK wants to sign up 9,500 women and raise a whopping £620,000 in sponsorship.

Lois Barlow-Olsen's husband Caspar was only 33 when he died, two days before Christmas in 2006.

And it will be his face that adorns her t-shirt as she takes part in this, her first Race for Life.

Mrs Barlow-Olsen, 33, from Upper Arncott, near Bicester, said: "This is a great cause and personally I'm looking forward to taking part with others who may have had a similar experience to me and our daughter Liva."

Mrs Barlow-Olsen's husband was a qualified accountant who moved to the UK from his native Denmark in 1999. But in October 2005, he was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour. He endured both radiotherapy and chemotherapy, but lost his battle with cancer 15 months later.

Before he died, the keen guitar and piano player spent his last months recording a series of six songs for his wife and daughter, with the help of Sobell House Hospice's resident music therapist Bob Heath.

The CD includes a lullaby he wrote for his baby daughter.

Mrs Barlow-Olsen said: "Liva is too young to really understand why we are taking part in Race for Life, but she will be there to cheer us on."

Liva's aunt Claire Drewett, a 29-year-old sales and marketing manager from Bicester, will be taking part in Race for Life for the second time.

She said: "I'll be taking part for Caspar, but also because I think it's very important to raise awareness about cancer and also to raise as much money as possible of course.

"Lois and I are hoping to raise £1,000."

Race for Life is the UK's largest women-only fundraising event, where women of all ages come together and walk, jog, or run 5k to raise money to help Cancer Research UK beat cancer.

Many women who take part in Race for Life do so for a personal reason; some women are cancer survivors, while others take part in memory of or to celebrate the lives of loved ones affected by cancer.

This year there will be three Race for Life events in Oxford, taking place at the University Parks on Saturday, June 7, at 11am and 2.30pm, plus a further event on Sunday, June 8, at 11am.

There will also be a Race for Life held at Heythrop Park, near Enstone, on Sunday, June 22, at 11am.

Vikki Savery, area event manager for Race for Life, said: "We hope this is an invitation women can't refuse."

Every pound raised by Race for Life in Oxfordshire goes directly to research carried out here in the county. To enter Race for Life 2008 visit www.raceforlife.org or call 0871 641 2273.

  • We would like to hear from anyone taking part in this year's event. Debbie Waite is particularly interested in speaking to cancer patients and survivors. Call her on 01865 425428.