WHAT DO I WANT TO DO?

70 miles in 70 days in aid of pancreatic cancer.

I want to celebrate my 70th birthday on 11 January 2021 by completing a series of runs with my daughters Alice and Clara totalling 70 miles. This will involve 10 runs of 7 miles each, starting on 2nd January 2021 ending on my 70th birthday January 11th 2021!

WHY PANCREATIC CANCER?

My wife of 32 years died from pancreatic cancer in the summer of 2007. It was all very sudden. She had complained of stomach pains in her lower abdomen and her GP had prescribed her tablets which seemed to have treated the symptoms. In April we were on holiday in the Algarve and June seemed completely restored back to her normal indefatigable self - it was a fabulous holiday. But once back home things changed very quickly, she was admitted to hospital and diagnosed with possible gall stones. The consultant said there was no reason to presume her condition was serious. But her condition worsened and eventually it was decided to perform a biopsy, which revealed an inoperable Tumor. The immensely kind oncologist delivered conformation on the day before her 58th birthday on 21st June.

She received superb end of life care at Salisbury hospice but sadly died in August. By that time I had understood the pancreatic cancer “double whammy”.

It’s hugely difficult to detect, but at the same time has extremely poor rates of survival unless detected very early. Since June’s death there have been several important steps forward in terms of understanding and treatment of the condition, but survival rates remain depressing. Continuing research is needed and this means more money!

AND WHY RUNNING?

June and I were extremely close - joined at the hip was the way that many friends used to describe us. We spent more time together than most couples, we were both self employed for most of our working life.

Following her death the hole in my life ( and of course the lives of my daughters ) was just indescribable. Someone much cleverer than me once wrote “the bereaved have no idea what they want. They only know what they don’t want.” How true! The gaping hole becomes a morass of negativity.

I knew that I didn’t want to go to the cinema, where we often went together. The same for football or cricket matches that we enjoyed together. The theatre where we both worked at different times? No thanks! Not likely! I couldn’t even read a book because I couldn’t concentrate ( and didn’t care ) And at the same time of course both my daughters, who had suddenly lost their mum, were trying to cope with their own emotions. In addition to the welcome concern of Alice and Clara for my wellbeing, eventually there were two factors that helped me turn a corner. One was the attention and kindness of friends, to whom I remain deeply indebted. The other was the realisation that there was, after all, one thing I had done without June and didn’t require much concentration, explanation or interpretation. You just put one foot in front of the other.

The running which I initially began when my team mates had hinted politely that I was getting too old for local league football, offered me the time and space to begin to work things out, and had a hugely remedial effects on me. Indeed it still does.

WHERE WILL WE BE RUNNING?

The plan is that we will run 7 miles per day in 10 consecutive days along the promenade in Bournemouth ending past Boscombe pier at Urban reef beach bar, Boscombe, Bournemouth in January 11th 2021.

We will issue a time table and other details including photos of our training and fundraising on our Facebook pageRun 70 at seventy. 

Everyone is welcome to come along to celebrate, cheer even sing happy birthday and raise a toast to an amazing cause. 

HOW MUCH DO I WANT TO RAISE?

£10000 would be great £12000 would be better etc etc .... 

HOW WILL YOU KNOW WE HAVE DONE THE RUNS?

All progress will be uploaded to the Facebook page @RUN70atseventy please like and share our page as much as you can.

Thanks to everyone for the support - it means so much and more