A karate instructor is marking the end of her breast cancer treatment by participating in a walk to support a breast cancer charity.

Michelle Williams, from Bicester, was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2022 and underwent chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy at The Churchill in Oxford.

Ahead of taking part in Breast Cancer Now’s Blenheim Palace Pink Ribbon Walk on May 11, she is remembering her mother, Patricia Hall, who succumbed to the same disease 30 years prior.

Ms Williams, 55, said: "My mum died when she was 47 so that age was always a milestone for me.

Oxford Mail: Michelle Williams (centre) with her mother, who died of breast cancer, and her fatherMichelle Williams (centre) with her mother, who died of breast cancer, and her father (Image: Breast Cancer Now)

"When they told me I had breast cancer it just didn’t sink in. It was a whirlwind, and I couldn’t really talk about it.

"I was lucky because mine was found quickly. My mum’s breast cancer was diagnosed late, and it had already spread.

"She was at The Churchill where I went on to have treatment for the same disease 30 years later."

Ms Williams, a mother of three, has recently had her first mammogram since the end of her treatment, and it showed no evidence of the disease.

This news prompted her to share her journey to encourage participation in the Pink Ribbon Walk.

Her participation in the 10-mile journey aims to generate funds for Breast Cancer Now’s research and change the lives of people diagnosed with breast cancer.

She said: "It’s only now that I’ve had this mammogram with no evidence of disease that I feel like I can speak about it.

"I’ve had a lot of support and my friends and family have been amazing. There will be a big tribe of us walking at the Pink Ribbon Walk together."

The Pink Ribbon Walk is an annual activity organised by Breast Cancer Now across the UK from April to June.

This year’s walks will take place at Hampton Court Palace, in London, on Sunday April 28, Blenheim Palace on Saturday May 11, and the Bakewell Showground, in Derbyshire, on Saturday June 22.

Since its inauguration in 2005, the event has raised more than £15 million for breast cancer research and support.

Approximately 55,000 women and 400 men are diagnosed with breast cancer annually in the UK, with numbers rising.

The more than half a million individuals living with a breast cancer diagnosis is projected to double by 2030.

The walks are suitable for all, from first-time walkers to seasoned hikers and with every step, they will contribute to a world where everyone diagnosed with breast cancer will live well.

Registration is open now via the Breast Cancer Now website.