GLOUCESTERSHIRE Seniors turned out in force to boost Ron Hedley’s remarkable fund-raising efforts for prostate cancer charities.
More than 30 players and partners assembled on Minchinhampton Common this week, defying gale-force winds to complete a five-mile walk and raise hundreds of pounds for vital research.
The Gloucestershire walk was coordinated by Over 70s captain John Evans following an appeal from Ron who is well known on the county seniors circuit for his work with Buckinghamshire.
Ron, aged 74, was diagnosed with prostate and bone cancer in November 2018, a year after taking part in Jeff Stelling’s March for Men.
He was subsequently involved in a long list of fund-raising efforts that included a series of walks, a cricket match, lunch and auction before setting himself another goal of helping arrange walks in every county across the country that plays Over 60s cricket.
Ron said: “Gloucestershire is walk Number 18. We have nine more organised, four have said they will do a second … and there are seven counties I’m still working on!”
Ron, who is aiming to complete the final walk on September 15 – his 75th birthday – was inspired to act after talking to Laura Kerby, the Stroud-based CEO of Prostate Cancer UK, and Lauren Clark, the wife of Bob Willis who died of the disease aged 70 in December 2019.
The family of the former England star went on to establish the Bob Willis Fund to support research in the hope that a nationally accessible, accurate screening programme may be introduced to save lives.
To date, Ron has raised more than £35,000, and he arrived at Minchinhampton less than 24 hours after receiving his latest chemotherapy injection.
John Evans added: “We’re absolutely delighted that so many of our Over 60 and Over 70 players were able to support such an important cause, and we were very pleased to have four generations of Bob Willis’ family here too today.”
Laura Kerby said: “One in eight men will be affected by prostate cancer while one in four black men will suffer at some point in their lifetime.“That’s why raising awareness is so important as prostate cancer can be cured – if it is caught early.”
This is the link to support Ron’s fundraising efforts: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-rons-march-for-prostate-cancer
For more information on prostate cancer, visit https://prostatecanceruk.org and https://bobwillisfund.org
