On April 18th Graham Gooch OBE is undertaking his third Flora London Marathon, this time in aid of the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK. Graham says:
I would like to contribute towards raising awareness of bowel cancer; the disease from which Bobby passed away on 24th February 1993 aged only 51. I was touring India at the time with England and wept when I heard the awful news. Bobby was a central figure in my boyhood, my sporting hero. My Father Alf used to take me down to West Ham every home Saturday without fail, to watch him delight his East End fans. My earliest memories relate to watching the Hammers at Upton Park with Dad. Bobby was my number one top sporting ace. He was also 'local' West Ham, like my Dad.
I watched Bobby as a kid and I learnt the meaning of the word presence. If Pele was the finest attacking footballer of his generation, surely Bobby was the greatest defender. Not only a great ambassador for his sport but also the best role model for any young aspiring sportsman. His example as a Captain certainly became lodged in my head for later years.
The Bobby Moore Fund was established in 1993 by Bobby's widow, Stephanie Moore MBE, in partnership with Cancer Research UK. Its aim is to raise money for research into bowel cancer, as well as raise awareness of the disease. Now in its 10th year, the Bobby Moore Fund has raised over £3m to date for vital research into bowel cancer.
The money raised goes towards high-quality research into bowel cancer. The Bobby Moore Fund's latest target is to raise £335,000 to pay for a much-needed new laboratory at the Bowel Cancer Unit at St. Mark's hospital in London. The lab will be named after Bobby, and will provide a state-of the-art facility in which leading scientists can continue to work towards gaining a better understanding of the disease.
Bowel cancer continues to be the second highest cause of cancer death in the UK, claiming 44 lives each day. Progress has been made - the survival rate for bowel cancer has increased by 50% over the last 20 years. However, the need for scientific advances in this area is urgent.
If you would like to sponsor me to run the London Marathon in the memory of a great man and for a very important cause, there are several ways to do so, as detailed below. Whatever your contribution, your support will enable us to improve the survival rate for bowel cancer. Together, we can save more lives in the future and spare many families the grief of losing a loved one.
Sincere thanks for your support,
Graham Gooch OBE
To sponsor Graham online using a credit or debit card
please visit www.justgiving.com/grahamgooch or call the Bobby Moore
Fund for Cancer Research UK on 020 7009 8881.
Alternatively, please post a cheque made payable to The Bobby Moore
Fund to the following address:
The Bobby Moore Fund (Graham Gooch marathon challenge)
Cancer Research UK
PO Box 123
London WC2A 3PX