Former MP urges men to join him in Gloucester's Race4Men
FORMER city MP Parmjit Dhanda is urging Gloucester men to join him in a charity run to help make a difference in the battle against cancer.
Mr Dhanda's father Balbir (pictured) beat prostate cancer, and the Labour politician believes raising awareness of the condition could help others survive.
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Support: Parmjit Dhanda
The 5km Race4Men will take place at Plock Court on Sunday, August 22.
Parmjit (pictured below) said: "My own father, Balbir Dhanda, had prostate cancer from which thankfully he recovered so I can really identify with what volunteers organising Gloucester's Race4Men are trying to do in raising awareness of male cancers.
"Dad went to see his GP and was diagnosed early. He underwent radiotherapy and has made a good recovery. But it is so important for men to get diagnosed early as this can make a fundamental difference.
"I hope as many people as possible take part in the Race4Men on the August 22 to raise awareness of the need for early diagnosis and also to pay tribute to the wonderful fundraisers – they are helping so many people to beat cancer."
Balbir Dhanda moved to the UK in the early 1960s, and spent 17 years working as a machine operator.
When he lost his job, he tried his hand in several careers, including a spell as a long distance lorry driver.
He said his son's career had brought the family huge pride.
He said: "When you consider our background, we are working class people, we never thought that one day our son would be elected to the House of Commons.
"It makes us so very proud."
Mr Dhanda's plea follows a call for more support for the event from organisers.
Just 120 runners had signed up for the race by Thursday, compared to more than 5,000 women who take part in the Race for Life in the county each year.
The money raised from the race will go to Cancer Research UK.
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in UK men, with around 35,500 cases diagnosed each year.
Race4Men is open to all men, although under 18's need a signed parental disclaimer on the day.
It costs £6 to register and entrants will receive a fundraising pack by email containing a sponsor form.
Signing up for Race4Men in support of Cancer Research UK is easy – visit http://supportus.cancerresearchuk.org/Race4 Men.
9 Comments
by Mrs J Williams, Abbeymead, Gloucester
Friday, August 13 2010, 4:37PM
“Last year one man Jason Trigg started this race4men on his own, 2009 raised 10 thousand pound, id say thats not bad going for 1 person, this year my father Derrick Daley, who has been in the paper, decided he would like to help out as much as he could, so as his family, we have backed him and joined with Jason to form a committee, since may, we have been working hard, every thurs we meet, and put together our ideas etc.We are little fish in a big pond, and for us to go and promote it, has been hard, by foot we have sent over 3,000 flyers out, putting them up in supermarkets, pubs, fitness places, but to get it out to a wider public, is really hard, as it needs papers involved, radio, and the tv. the citizen have helped alot, Warren from heartfm has had my son George on air, and on monday it will be on tv-Central news, but do you know how hard that has been to get the contacts to go to the paper, t.v, and radio, as this is our 2nd year, and need many more men/boys to race, like race for life etc, in order to achieve the promotional benefits race for life get. 15 years race for life has been going, 7 years into race for life the numbers started to get big, and they then started to get the backing they needed, hey! we are only in our 2nd year, so im sure in time Race4men will be just as big.....if we get the support from male runners. So answering you're question, the pr has been tricky, but we are only a committee of 7 regular people, who dont get paid, who really want this to be a success, the media..i.e the citizen have helped, so has heartfm, they can only spread themselves so far. At the end of the day it all goes into one pot CANCER RESEARCH, to find answers, be it for female/males, and each committee works hard to look for better ways, and events to help bring in money, we aer learning every year, and will continue, but you have to help to, We are all in this fight against cancer. Jo”
by Mrs J Williams, Abbeymead
Friday, August 13 2010, 4:21PM
“RACE4MEN 2010”
by dan, glos
Friday, August 13 2010, 3:52PM
“I noticed this article was on p23 of 36 in todays citizen!! says it all really! if it was the womens race for life I bet it would have been published within the first 4 pages!!
Here is my justgiving page if anyone would like to make a diffrence and donate
http://www.justgiving.com/Daniel-Coughlin
Thanks”
by Lesley, Glos
Friday, August 13 2010, 2:00PM
“I will be attending this event as a volunteer to show my support. However if you are unable to attend this event there is another Cancer Research event starting in Gloucester Park on the 3rd October. Its a 10k event open to Men and Women and you can walk or run it. Hope to see you there. http://www.run10k.org/”
by Nick, Gloucester
Friday, August 13 2010, 1:51PM
“Men's health issues are always secondary to women's health, that is why no one knows about this.”
by Mary, Glos
Friday, August 13 2010, 12:51PM
“I have done the Race for life a few times and this is the first I have heard of the mens event. I shall be telling a few people I know about it.”
by dan, glos
Friday, August 13 2010, 11:42AM
“Tony, Cheltenham...
on the whole I'd say it's the media who have failed to publise this event enough. As I have seen and heard promo's for this for a while, shop windows, doctors etc etc yet the paper only prints near the time and in a negative light. yes I am taking part and cant wait, this will be the 2nd yr of this event and hopefully there will be more participants than last yr and slowly yr by yr the numbers will increase”
by Quedgeley Guy, Quedgeley
Friday, August 13 2010, 10:17AM
“I'll be doing what I can to support this event,although I have trouble walking,let alone running.
I may be able to help in other ways.
Here's a better link,if it works. (This is Tig.. :) )
http://supportus.cancerresearchuk.org/Events/Charity_runs/Race4Men_Gloucester_2010/54853?dist=1.04&st=0”
by Tony, Cheltenham
Friday, August 13 2010, 9:41AM
“The reason so few have signed up is the complete lack of publicity. This is the first I have heard of this event, yet every time there is a women's race or moonlight walk, you read and hear loads about it. And of course men aren't welcome to take part in those 'sexist' events!
Being serious for a moment, I'd love to have taken part in this but it's too late to reschedule what I have already got booked and too late to effectively get people to sponsor me to get funds for this exceptionally worthwhile cause. Either someone singularly failed to so some PR for this race or the local media have dismally failed.”