News releases
EALING FAMILY WALK THE LENGTH OF WALES FOR CANCER CHARITY
06 July 2006
Dick lives in Ealing Common with his family and was inspired to help North West Cancer Research Fund through the tragic illness of his 29 year old nephew who has recently developed a Melanoma cancer.� The cancer has unfortunately spread to bowel, liver and spine and Sam is now immobile, beyond standard treatments, and in suffering. The Sands family is very close to Sam who was an Ealing resident himself until 2003 before leaving to live with his parents in New Zealand.
Dick who will celebrate his 50th Birthday on the first day of the walk will begin on the 21st July in Chepstow, South Wales, walking the 190 mile stretch along Offa�s Dyke finishing up at Prestatyn in North Wales two weeks later.� The trio are expected to exceed their �3,000 target having already raised �2,452 to date.�
This is not the first fundraising walk the family have tackled.� They completed Hadrian�s Wall in 2005, and a similar distance Coast to Coast from Yorkshire to Cumbria in 2003.� Both walks saw the Ealing family raising over �3,000 for North West Cancer Research Fund. Dick has also enlisted the help of his trade association raising around �5000 at his grand annual luncheon in 2002.
Dick is modest about the achievements of himself and his family: �We haven�t done any special training.� I hope these aren�t famous last words, but these walks are not too difficult for the average healthy person.�
He continues: �We have prepared with a few days walking along the Thames path, as much for breaking in footwear as anything else.� The girls have no fitness issues but unfortunately mine are growing with time and waistline!�
When asked why he has chosen North West Cancer Research Fund Dick said it was down to the dedication of his mother who is resident in Wallasey, North West England who has volunteered her time for the charity for over a decade. He says: �I like that fact that North West Cancer research Fund consistently spends over 90p in every �1 raised directly on research rather than to the charity�s internal administration which is almost entirely voluntary.��
It is clear that Dick and his family relish the opportunity to give something to charity, particularly in the hope that the pioneering research that North West Cancer Research Fund commissions may be able to help his nephew, Sam.� �We do love giving, but my main sense of satisfaction has been from achieving something with my kids. We walk all day, every day for 2 solid weeks but we have a laugh along the way.� We will certainly have some stories to tell on our return to Ealing!�
The Sands family have already received lots of support from local friends, colleagues, family and the girls schools.� A lot of their friends know Dick�s nephew Sam and are eager to help the cause.� You can sponsor Dick, Rebecca and Abigail on their website at www.justgiving.com/SandsFamilyWalk or, for more information on the charity you can visit www.cancerresearchnorthwest.co.uk.
If you have helped to collect money for The North West Cancer Research Fund, don't forget to tell us all about how you raised the money so we can publicise your efforts.