A CANCER survivor who spent time in a hospice will sound the horn for an inaugural fundraising race which takes place today, Sunday.

Steve Hook, from Pennington, Leigh, will start the first ever Leigh Community 10k at 9.30am at the town hall 15 years after being diagnosed with tonsil cancer which developed aggressively.

The 57-year-old had to have two operations but suffered side effects during a course of radiotherapy which lead to him staying at Wigan and Leigh Hospice.

Former probation service worker Steve said:  “It was a surprise to be asked to start the race but a nice one.

"I am quite chuffed.

“I volunteer at hospice events and when I talk to people about the hospice I know it is a distressing time for the patients and their family, but I try to tell them it is not what they might think.

"People seem to think hospices are all doom and gloom but Wigan and Leigh Hospice is more like a hotel.”

Steve, who first went to his doctor about a 'tickly cough' in July 2002, was told his second operation, a radical neck dissection, was so important for him that he was told he may not have lived to see Christmas without having the procedure.  

But he moved into the Hindley hospice's Inpatient Unit (IPU) following further complications. 

He said: "My throat had closed up and I could no longer eat or drink and was in a really bad place mentally.

"It was suggested I should visit the hospice but I was adamant I was not going to go.

"However, I was eventually persuaded to go and it was an absolute eye-opener to say the least.”

Steve was given a course of complementary therapy such as reiki and aromatherapy to ease his pain.

When his health improved, he had radiation treatment at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester, and after attending check-up appointments there for five years he was told he was no longer required to return.

The 600 participants who have signed up to the Leigh Community 10k can run, jog or walk the event which starts at the town hall. 

They will go along Lord Street and Platt Fold Street, complete two loops of Chapel Street and Holden Road and then head for the finish line back at Leigh Town Hall.

The 10k will include musical entertainment from 9.45am to 3pm, with The Lottery Winners, Zoe Unsworth, Wigan Ukelele Club, Stetsons Electric, The Lowtones and Natalie Kamhiriri all performing.

Registration opens at the town hall at 7.30am – participants should bring their entry confirmation with them when collecting their race number.

The medals ceremony will be held at around 11.45am.

Everyone who takes part will receive a specially-designed medal and a goodie bag.

The event, which will see a range of stalls on the square outside the town hall and medics situated throughout the course, has been organised through a partnership between Inspiring Healthy Lifestyles, FCR Events Ltd, Leigh Harriers Athletics Club, Nectar Creative, Wigan and Leigh Hospice and Wigan Council.

Funds raised from the Leigh Community 10k will go towards Wigan and Leigh Hospice's Counting on Care appeal to modernise the 14-bed inpatient unit and make it dementia-friendly.