People are being urged to look beyond lockdown by making a date to join Cancer Research UK's Race for Life in Oldham.
The event will be taking place in Alexandra Park on Sunday 12 September with 3K and 5K runs.
The charity's much-loved events are aiming to return this autumn but with socially distanced measures to keep participants safe.
Money raised will help scientists find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer, saving lives as the charity fights back from the impact of the pandemic.
Anyone who signs up before 4 July can claim a special 30 per cent off the entry fee by using the code RFLJUNE30.
Siobhan Byrne, Cancer Research UK’s spokesperson for Greater Manchester, said: “Race for Life offers the perfect opportunity for people across the region to run, walk or jog and raise money for life-saving research.
“All 400 mass participation Race for Life events across the UK were cancelled last year to protect the country’s health during the COVID-19 pandemic. So this year, more than ever, we need people to enter the Race for Life - for the people we love, for the people we’ve lost and for the one in two of us who will get cancer.”
People can visit raceforlife.org to enter.
There are other Race for Life events taking place at Heaton Park, Tatton Park, Wigan, Leigh and Stockport throughout September and October. Events include a 3K, 5K, 10K as well as Pretty Muddy, a mud-splattered obstacle course.
This year, participants will set off on the Race for Life course either alone or in small, socially distanced groups. Hand sanitiser will also be provided with participants encouraged to use it before and after the event.
Every year around 42,300 people are diagnosed with cancer in the North West, and one in two people in the UK born after 1960 will get cancer in their lifetime.
Siobhan added: “We’ll ask participants to respect social distancing before, during and after the event.
“But we promise our events will remain colourful, emotional and uplifting. The safety of our Race for Life participants is our absolute priority. We’ve been constantly monitoring the COVID-19 situation and have developed ways to ensure our events can operate safely, following government guidance. It may be that events look a bit different this year but we are working proactively with our venues and suppliers to deliver a socially distanced but great experience.
“Sadly, cancer touches almost every family at some point. Every step our scientists take towards beating cancer relies on our supporters. That’s why we need as many people as possible across Greater Manchester to join us, to stand united and do something extraordinary to help beat cancer.
“We know that 2020 was a year like no other and we had to overcome many challenges thrown our way during the global pandemic. But this past year proves, more than any other, the value of investing in science and medical research and what can be achieved by working together. Just like science is our route out of the pandemic, science is our route to beating cancer. We are absolutely determined to continue to create better cancer treatments for tomorrow.”
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