Countdown to a Brighter Future
Countdown To A Brighter Future
Maths expert Carol Vorderman led the countdown to the start of the 2009 Run for the Future on the Downs in the Bristol.
A record number of nearly 1,000 people took part in this year’s 5km event, organised by Bristol Rotarians and sponsored by Spire Hospital.
When everyone has returned their sponsorship money it’s hoped the 2009 Run will raise up to £45,000, adding further to the £130,000 from the first three years, which is now being used to fund vital research into improved diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer.
Olympic runner Nick Rose was once again first past the post, followed closely by Simon Prior and his 11 year old son Luke, from Burnham on Sea. Fourteen year old Clifton College pupil, Victoria Kenny, was the first female to complete the course.
Among the supporters was David Gillatt, director of the Bristol Urological Institute, who collapsed on the course last year with a heart attack.
“I was banned from taking part this time by my wife and daughter, but I see where the funding from this goes and it will help create better tests to identify prostate cancer,” he said.
One of the fund raisers this year was Bob Woodward, the founder of CLIC. He now works with the Starfish Trust, who sponsored him for £1,000 to complete the course – and he duly handed over a cheque to Carol Vorderman and John Miles, chairman of the BUI Prostate Cancer Appeal.
Run organiser Martina Peattie said the event was started after members of the rotary club died, mainly through ignorance of a disease which claims 10,000 lives every year in the UK.
“As many men die from prostate cancer as women from breast cancer, but men don’t tend to raise awareness like women can. We want to let people know they can go and have a test.”
More than 80 men took advantage of the offer of free PSA blood tests to check for prostate cancer at this year’s event.
Martina is now appealing to every competitor to return their sponsorship money as soon as possible.
“From experience, it’s a lot easier to collect the money as soon after the event as possible,” she said. “The quicker they can get it in, the faster we can channel it towards more research, which could save thousands of lives!”
This year’s Run was started by the Lord Mayor of Bristol, Cllr Chris Davies, who said: “This is a fantastic effort by the organisers, runners and stewards. On behalf of prostate cancer sufferers now and in the future, I’d like to thank everyone for the funds they raise.”
