Two young brothers from Chorley will be hosting a charity duck race in memory of their late father, who passed away four years ago.
Bobby Goode, aged seven, and Ted Goode, five, have teamed up with their friend Corey Coggins, four, from Wigan, who also lost his father in 2011. The boys want to use the event to help raise awareness of the illnesses which claimed both men’s lives.
The fundraiser will take place on Sunday 30th June and will be held along the Leeds Liverpool Canal at the Wigan Investment Centre. It aims to raise awareness of Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency a disease which claimed Stuart Goode’s life at 36 and Bowel Cancer which took Ric Coggins aged just 33.
The friends, who met through their mothers at the Way Foundation (Widowed And Young) also hope the charity event will help raise funds for Wigan and Leigh Hospice, where little Corey Coggins receives support and guidance. The boys have named the fundraiser ‘Daddy’s Duck Race’.
Bobby and Ted’s mother Charlotte and Carrie, Ric’s widow, believe that earlier diagnosis could have prevented or at least prolonged their partners’ lives. Both men died in their 30s and had previously lived healthy lives.
Stuart passed away two and a half years after his diagnosis, at just 36. Charlotte says that his illness was both painful and stressful, whilst the doctors treating him knew little about the genetic disease he was suffering from. Ric was diagnosed at 32 and lost his fight just ten months later. The cancer went undetected, despite various tests, and sadly once it had been discovered it had already spread to his liver.
Ted, Bobby and Corey are appealing to individuals and businesses to purchase a duck to take part in one of two races throughout the event. The ducks cost just £2 each for the family race, whilst ducks for the corporate race can be purchased by local businesses for only £25.
The races will take place between 12pm and 4pm, there will also be plenty of family fun on offer with fairground style events, charity stalls, a range of refreshments, music and much more. There will be 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th place prizes for each race which the boys hope will be donated by local businesses.
Charlotte said: “Alpha-1 Antitryspin Deficiency, also known as A1AD or AATD, is an inherited, genetic condition that is passed on from generation to generation. It is a little known illness in the UK and most people have never heard of it. It is so important to Bobby, Ted and I that we make people aware of it so that other families don’t have to go through what we did with their daddy.”
Carrie said: “From the day he was diagnosed Ric wanted to raise awareness of the disease in order to prevent others going through what he had to. By fulfilling the boys fantastic idea of a duck race, we hope to raise as much awareness of bowel cancer as possible and honour Ric by carrying out one of his last wishes and keeping his memory alive.”
For more information about Bowel Cancer visit: http://www.haveigotbowelcancer.com/ and for Alpha-1 Antitryspin Deficiency: http://www.alpha1.org.uk/ Details about Wigan and Leigh Hospice can be found a: http://www.wlh.org.uk/
17th May, 2013