THE family of a Basingstoke dad who died of cancer is urging residents to take part in Cancer Research UK's Race for Live this week to raise money for the charity.
Dennis Ralph, a father-of-three from Basingstoke, imagined his family would be taking part in Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life in his memory before he’d even been diagnosed with a rare form of the disease.
He shared his fears while undergoing routine tests for bowel cancer which came back clear soon after.
But just weeks later, his health rapidly deteriorated and he was given the devastating news that he had developed advanced bile duct cancer that was untreatable.
READ MORE: Residents encouraged to sign up for Race For Life with 'early bird' fee
To honour his memory, wife, Kim and children Harry, 26, Grace Wagstaff, 30 and Amy Smith, 32, were among 10 family members who took part in Race for Life Basingstoke the following year, raising £712.
Now they’re urging others to sign up to the events on Sunday, May 26, at War Memorial Park to help fund life-saving research.
Daughter, Amy, said: “Cancer has wreaked havoc with my family and my dad’s disease was so advanced, he never stood a chance. But Race for Life Basingstoke can give people the hope we so desperately needed.
“If taking part in a 5k or a Pretty Muddy event means we can give someone else’s loved one a chance to beat their disease, then we’ll have done our job and made him proud.”
People of all ages and abilities are invited to take part in Race for Life Basingstoke.
Mums, dads, sons, daughters, grandparents and friends can choose from a 3k, 5k or 10k or in the afternoon, take part in Pretty Muddy - a 5k mud-splattered obstacle course. There is also a Pretty Muddy Kids option.
Every year around 55,800 people are diagnosed with cancer in the South East. Dennis was one of just 3,100 people in the UK who develop bile duct cancer each year, also known as cholangiocarcinoma.
“We’d have done anything to have more time with dad and that’s why we do Race for Life, to give others the chance he didn’t get," Amy said.
"It’s so important to be able to fund research to detect this type of cancer earlier so that other people have treatment options and get the chance to fight it.
“After dad died, we wanted to do Race for Life for him, especially after he’d mentioned the previous year that we might be doing it in his memory. Even though he’d said it tongue in cheek, it became a harsh reality and felt like the right thing to do. We wore his picture on our t-shirts like he said and I know he would have been so proud of us all taking part.
“The day itself was the first time we’d all been together for a while and we laughed a lot and found it quite healing – it was a really nice day. When you’re on the start line rubbing shoulders with people who are all there to make a difference to people fighting cancer, it’s an incredible feeling to be part of that. I’d urge everyone to do it.”
Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life, in partnership with headline sponsor Standard Life, part of Phoenix Group, is an inspiring series of 3k, 5k, 10k, Pretty Muddy and Pretty Muddy Kids events which raise millions of pounds every year to help beat cancer by funding crucial research.
Since it began in 1994, more than 10 million people have taken part in Race for Life, funding 30 years of hope and progress.
The UK’s biggest fundraising event series, which raised £33m in 2023, is returning with a shift in attitude this year, determined to shine light on the life-saving research that Race for Life has funded and issuing a rallying cry for people to sign up to support the scientific breakthroughs of tomorrow.
Money raised has helped develop radiotherapy which benefits more than 130,000 people with cancer in the UK every year. Cancer Research UK funded scientists led the development of the Human Papillomavirus Virus vaccine, which is expected to prevent almost 90 per cent of cervical cancers in the UK. The charity also funded many large clinical trials looking at the effectiveness of the drug tamoxifen and the research shaped the way the drug is used to treat breast cancer today.
To enter, visit raceforlife.org
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here