A University of Bristol cancer expert and life-long footie fan is urging local men to sign-up for the City’s first charity run in memory of football legend Bobby Moore.
Chris Paraskeva, Bristol University Professor of Experimental Oncology, has dedicated his career to research into bowel cancer, the disease that claimed the life of his soccer hero Bobby Moore in 1993.
Colon cancer surgeon Mike Thomas, a respected surgeon at Bristol Royal Infirmary, and himself a footie fan will join Chris. Together the pair will be warming up and sharing the love of the sport and a shared passion in tackling bowel cancer.
Chris is a dedicated supporter of Bobby Moore’s team, West Ham United. As a child he went to see his hero every weekend at the team’s home ground Upton Park. He can still remember England’s World Cup Victory in 1966, led by captain Bobby Moore.
Now Chris is urging local men to join in and raise money in the England captain’s name by signing up for the 5k sponsored Run for Moore event on Bristol Downs On Sunday, 14 May.
Professor Chris Paraskeva said: “I wholeheartedly support the work of the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK. I am delighted that all the proceeds from the Bristol Run for Moore event will help to fund vital research into bowel cancer.”
“I grew up in the East End of London and have supported West Ham since I was knee-high, so taking part in the first Run for Moore event in the country will be a great honour.”
Professor Paraskeva, has been involved in bowel cancer research for over twenty-five years. He decided to specialise in bowel cancer because he realised research could lead to a cut in deaths from the disease by a least 50 per cent.
The run will help raise funds for research into bowel cancer, a disease which kills 45 people every day in the UK.
Professor Paraskeva continued: “Despite the number of deaths from bowel cancer, there is good news. Around eight out of ten people can be successfully treated if the disease is found early. Therefore prevention or early detection is critical.
"Early detection can help save more lives. Men are less likely to seek advice or go to their GP if they think something is wrong. People should not be dying of embarrassment.”
He added: “What surprises me most is we talk about cancer quite a lot yet people are still unaware of the symptoms or fail to visit their GP if they do recognise the signs."
He urges anyone with a family history of the disease to be extra vigilant and how men need to be more aware of the risks of the illness.
He said: “Anyone who has a parent, brother or sister who has bowel cancer under the age of 40 should seek medical advice."
Sponsorship money raised by the 1,000 men expected to take part in Bristol’s Run for Moore event will go towards the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK.
Rebecca Hillyard, Run for Moore event organiser, said: “Taking part in the Run for Moore on Bristol Downs will be a fantastic opportunity for men to get fit at the same time as raising money for an important cause.
“With World Cup fever gripping the country, I am sure that plenty of men from Bristol and surrounding areas will want to join in the fun and raise money in Bobby Moore’s memory.”
In 1993, Cancer Research UK and Bobby’s wife Stephanie set-up the Bobby Moore Fund to raise money for bowel cancer research.
It is hoped that the Run for Moore series of events taking place across the UK will raise over £500,000 this summer to help tackle bowel cancer.
There are still plenty of places for the event, participants can choose to run or walk the 5km course. To find out more about Run for Moore or to sign-up for the event visit www.runformoore.org.