The friends of two women from Bushey in Hertfordshire who are battling cancer have raised an unexpected £11,500 in two weeks after signing up to Cancer Research’s Race For Life in June.

Sara Nathan and other friends decided to run for Sara Collins and Pipa Oliveri, both of whom are currently fighting cancer. But what they didn’t expect was to be inundated with donations and helping hands from across the Jewish community.

“Never in my wildest dreams,” said Ms Nathan, “did I imagine getting the support we have in such a short space of time.

“What was just supposed to be a group of friends supporting each other has turned into a mammoth event we’ll probably repeat year on year.

“We have 120 women signed up to run for Pipa and Sara in just two weeks. There is still two months to go and the number keeps on rising. By June, when the run actually takes place, we will have smashed our £10,000 target.”

It is not just friends of the women who are showing their generosity. Jewish businesses have pledged a variety of offerings from goodie-bag contents to food for the runners on the day.

With backing from — among other Jewish businesses — a kosher deli, Ms Nathan said: “That will definitely make some of them run faster knowing they have fish-balls at the end of it!

“It is overwhelming. The support makes you really proud to be Jewish. It shows the community look after each other and that is just a really lovely thing.

“One of the girls has the [potentially cancer triggering] BRCA gene that effects the Jewish community and is very real for a lot of people.

“To see our friends Pipa and Sara go through it and be able to do something for them that gives them a boost is priceless.

“We want to see a cure for the illness in their lifetime and, by raising money for research, maybe we can.

The — at least — 120 Jewish women will be running for Pipa and Sara in the Race For Life at Cassibury Park in Watford on June 15. http://www.justgiving.com/sara-n-pipa-kick-ass