Why Amy took part in the Cardiff Half Marathon

Amy tells us about the incredible fundraiser she took part in, in memory of her uncle Peter, who sadly passed away from bowel cancer in 2020. 

I want to share my story of how bowel cancer can impact a family. In October 2019, my uncle was told the devastating news that he had stage 4 terminal bowel cancer.  Less than a year after his diagnosis, at the age of 53, he passed away. 

My uncle’s diagnosis came as a real shock to our family, his surgeon and medical team as he was a young, fit healthy man. The cancer had spread to his liver, lungs and peritoneum and he was given a life expectancy of one to two years.  

In March and June 2020, during the height of COVID-19, my uncle had chemotherapy and a few months later in July, he returned to work for a short time. He had worked as a senior sonographer for the NHS as part of a ‘high risk’ scanning team based in a hospital in London, and was a much thought of and well-loved member of staff. Unfortunately, my uncle had to stop work due to becoming too ill. He died peacefully in October 2020 at the same hospital in which he’d worked. After his death, a bench was dedicated to him on the hospital grounds in his memory.  

I wanted to give back to Bowel Cancer UK as they had provided us with support after my uncle’s diagnosis, and I wanted to help raise awareness of the disease. I used my own place in the Cardiff Half Marathon so I could fundraise for the charity in my uncle’s memory. I completed the event in October 2023, a day before the three-year anniversary of my uncle’s passing.   

Despite it being a real struggle due to a knee injury and needing to walk most of the course, I completed the race and had friends and family there to see me cross the finish line. Seeing the Bowel Cancer UK stand also at around mile 10 provided me with the encouragement I needed to continue, as I was very close to giving up. The overall support I got after sharing my story helped me to raise £475 for Bowel Cancer UK.   

Looking back on the last three years and seeing how difficult this time was for us, we want to keep Peter's memory alive by speaking about the disease and raising funds for the charity. We’ll always miss my uncle’s cheeky and dry personality and the way he would go above and beyond for others. As a family, we want to make others aware of the signs and symptoms of the disease and make sure people know that you’re never too young for a bowel cancer diagnosis.  

• If you have your own place at this year's Cardiff Half Marathon, you can join our team  

• Find out more about how you can fundraise for us 

• Support and information about coping with grief and bereavement