A CANCER survivor is to star alongside professional West End actors in a mini-musical celebrating Tesco and Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life.

Mum-of-two Mandy Maxwell, 35, of Great Sutton, who has been treated for skin cancer, will be the main attraction when Race for Life’s musical production Join the Girls opens for a one-off performance at the Picturehouse at FACT in Liverpool on February 20.

Joining her on stage will be a celebrity guest star, as well as a core cast of performers who have performed lead roles in major musicals including Oliver! and Chicago.

Join the Girls is a fun, action- packed and uplifting six-minute musical theatre production which brings to life the experience of taking part in Race for Life.

Race for Life is the UK’s largest women-only fundraising series, where women of all ages and fitness levels walk, jog or run five kilometres to raise money to help beat cancer.

Created by a West End director and a production team behind musicals Legally Blonde and Chicago, Join the Girls will be performed as a ‘live advert’ at cinemas in Leeds, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Birmingham, prior to screenings of classic ‘chick flicks’.

Mandy is one of only six ‘real women’ chosen to appear in the innovative new production.

The cast is made up of a core of seasoned actors with a different cancer survivor taking part in each performance in their own home town along with a celebrity guest.

Mandy was a guest of honour at the London premiere of Join the Girls at the Haymarket Cineworld, Piccadilly.

She met the cast and celebrities including TV personality Michelle Heaton and ‘Dancing on Ice star Jeff Brazier, both of whom have close connections to the cause.

Mandy said: “I’m delighted to be involved in such a fun, fantastic celebration of Race for Life. I hope that by sharing my experience I’ll motivate other women to enter Race for Life.

“The musical is a fabulous way to express the joy and emotion of Race for Life. I hope it inspires as many women as possible to round up all their female friends and family to ‘join the girls’ and enter their local event as soon as possible.”

During the production at the Picturehouse at FACT Mandy’s personal cancer journey will be described on stage to convey the heartfelt message that women who take part in Race for Life are helping to fund research which saves lives.

Mandy was diagnosed with skin cancer in 2008 after a mole on her thigh became itchy and started bleeding. Following a visit to her GP, she was referred to hospital where she had the mole removed and was subsequently given the devastating news she had malignant melanoma.

Tests confirmed the cancer had spread and Mandy underwent a further two operations to have more tissue removed from her thigh together with all of the lymph nodes from her groin.

Mandy, who is married to Kevin, continued to have regular check-ups and in December 2009 she was diagnosed with malignant melanoma yet again after noticing a change in another mole.

She underwent further surgery, has since made a good recovery and continues to have check-ups every three months.

Mandy said: “It’s thanks to research that I am here today.ŠI am so grateful for the treatment that saved my life.

“Success stories like mine would not be possible without the work of Cancer Research UK, which in turn relies on everyone who raises money through Race for Life.”

Every hour about four people are diagnosed with cancer in the North West. Race for Life events will be taking place across the region between May and July, including in Wirral and Liverpool.

To enter, visit www.raceforlife.org or call 0871 641 1111.