A Norfolk mother is preparing to pound the streets of Paris when she takes part in the city's famous marathon in aid of the EDP's Teenage Cancer Trust appeal.

A Norfolk mother is preparing to pound the streets of Paris when she takes part in the capital city's marathon in aid of the EDP's Teenage Cancer Trust appeal.

Anne Beckett-Allen, who helps bereaved families cope with loss as director at Rosedale Funeral Home in Diss, was inspired by cancer survivor Lucy Smith after we published her story.

The mother-of-three from Scole, near Diss, only completed her first marathon at the Bungay Black Dog event last year. Her April 5 trip to the French capital to line up alongside 37,000 other runners will be her first overseas race.

Anne said: "I was so inspired by Lucy's story I decided to do some-thing to help. Cancer touches the lives of most people at some time, yet it's not an illness generally associated with teenagers. The article highlighted just how important it is that patients are treated in the right environment, and there's clearly a huge need for a dedicated teenage unit in the region."

So far, readers have given more than �63,000 to the trust as the EDP campaigns to raise money that will make a vital difference.

We teamed up with the trust for a Norfolk and Waveney campaign to have a specialist unit built for young patients from across the area

Six teenagers - equivalent to between two and four cases for every secondary school in and around Norfolk - are diagnosed with cancer each day. The unit at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, will be the only one for teenagers with cancer in Norfolk and Waveney and is expected to help improve recovery rates.

Staffed by specialist nurses, it will provide 10 inpatient beds for patients from across East Anglia as well as outpatient and day care, social and recreation areas, a kitchen and dining area for patients and parents, broadband and computing, gaming and entertainment equipment.

The trust is one of a number of good causes that Rosedale Funeral Home, which has branches at Diss, Wymondham, Attleborough, Bungay and Halesworth, supports.

Donate at www.justgiving.com/

tctaddenbrookesappeal and quote EDP in the reference box. Those wishing to sponsor Anne's run can use this method or call Rosedale Funeral Home on 01379 640810.

You can make a cheque payable to Teenage Cancer Trust Appeal and send it to Teenage Cancer Trust Norfolk Appeal, c/o The Thursford Collection, Thursford, Fakenham, Norfolk, NR21 0AS.

If you are organising an event to help our appeal, contact Lorna Marsh on 01603 772474 or email lorna.marsh@archant.co.uk