On the run!
Date published: 05 March 2009
Two local health champions target charity boosts at big race events
Alison aiming at Race for Life
OLDHAM research nurse Alison White is gearing up to run in this year’s Race for Life.
Organised by Cancer Research UK, the event is a major fundraiser for the charity, and Alison is urging women across the borough to join her in making it a success.
Alison, who lives in Failsworth, will be among thousands of women who tackle the 5K race at venues across the North-West this summer.
The 37-year-old joined a group of her colleagues from the Christie Hospital to launch Race for Life 2009 — the UK’s largest women-only fundraising event — in Manchester city centre.
And organisers are inviting women of all ages and fitness levels to “do something amazing” by signing up and joining together to walk, jog or run 5k to raise money to help beat cancer.
Alison said: “I know, from my work on the hospital wards, just how important money raised by women at Race for Life is to research in Manchester.
“It’s thanks to the time and commitment of everyone who takes part that we are able to help cancer patients today and hope to improve the diagnosis, treatment and the prevention of cancer .”
Cancer Research UK funds the work of 4,500 scientists, doctors and nurses, and last year spent £333m on world-class research at centres across the UK.
Last year the charity invested nearly £17million into research projects in Manchester, much of which helped fund pioneering work carried out by doctors and scientists at the Paterson Institute for Cancer Research in Withington. Resear-chers there take promising discoveries from the laboratory and develop them into treatments for cancer.
Race for Life will come to Oldham on Sunday, July 19, when around 2,500 women will take part in Alexandra Park.
Register at www.raceforlife.org or by calling 0871 641 2282.
Doctor keen to help ships
AN OLDHAM GP will take to the streets in April in a bid to clock up 26 miles and rake in more than £1,000 for charity.
Dr Emmanuel Gye is in training to run the London Marathon in aid of the charity Mercy Ships, which offers lifesaving medical aid in Third World countries.
The father-of-two heard about the cause four years ago, and decided he wanted to do something to help.
He explained: “The charity converts old cargo and merchant ships into field hospitals, staffs them with volunteers, and sends them to dock at Third World ports.”
Medics treat people and offer rehabilitation services over several months before sailing back out to sea and heading for another port.
Dr Gye has been a GP at Glodwick Medical Practice for three years, and lives in Coldhurst with his wife, Pamela, and their sons Martin (10) and Daniel (8).
Originally from Nigeria, in West Africa, the 39-year-old said: “I went to see one of the ships when it docked in Liverpool to raise awareness in 2005.
“I was very impressed and I considered volunteering, but it was too costly at the time because I had a young family to think about and volunteers have to pay for their own keep.”
He hopes to be in a position to volunteer in the future, but meanwhile is aiming to raise a minimum of £1,000 for the charity by running his first marathon.
His longest run to date was the half marathon Great North Run, again to raise money for Mercy Ships.
He said: “I am really looking forward to running in the London Marathon. It has a great atmosphere and will be a great challenge for me.”
Anyone who wants to sponsor Dr Gye can do so through www.justgiving.com/gyemercyships
