Melanie, aged 40 from Cleckheaton, has been diagnosed with incurable cancer and has set up her own charity to raise money for Yorkshire cancer research charity to help others living with cancer by running the half marathon in Leeds May.
Melanie was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2023 three days after running the Rob Burrow Marathon in leeds.
Her aim is to inspire others to change their perception of cancer with her charity.
She said: “I’ve met a lot of people in these ten months that I had cancer, who have nothing, people who can’t afford memories with their families, or a gym membership to get out and about for their mental health.”
She also hopes that her charity will give people and families dealing with cancer a level of support and hopes this charity will be a long-term legacy.
She has already raised £8,000 and hopes to raise a further £2,000.
Melanie was at the peak of her fitness when she found a lump in her breast, after getting it checked out two weeks later she was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer.
She was put into chemotherapy straight away and had a surgery in October 2023 to have a single vasectomy.
However, two months later she found a lump in her collarbone, and in November 2023 she found out the cancer had spread and was incurable.
She said: “It was a massive shock, especially because it was during the peak of my fitness and I had a healthy lifestyle, and at the time when I found out I was 39 and I thought I was too young for this.”
“My mentality through it all was I can’t change what is going on, I’ll have the treatment that is recommended, but the only thing I was in control of was my mindset.”
Mrs Hartley-Toye said that exercising and running has helped her cope with her diagnosis, for her it is the only time when her mind is at peace.
She said that her diagnosis has massively changed her perspective of life and has made her value the time she has with her family.
She added that living with cancer is “like having a rubbish part-time job you don’t get paid for, it is not me and I am not letting it define me.”