The Forever Friends Appeal, the primary fundraising charity for the Royal United Hospital, is delighted to be chosen as an official charity for the sold-out Sodbury Slog. Mud, mud and more mud is forecast for the nine country-mile race in Chipping Sodbury on Remembrance Sunday, 13th November, and if you’re up for the trainer-ruining challenge, the Appeal has a number of special charity places still available (public entry has completely sold out).

Sue Brigden, from Shoscombe, a well-known Bath runner and long-term supporter of the Cancer Care Campaign, is no stranger to the RUH, and will be taking on this race to support the Cardiology Unit. She says: “Back in 2000, both my husband Ray and I came into contact with an amazing lady called Vanessa, ‘Ness’ Kyte. Ness had just recovered from breast cancer and reconstruction surgery and wanted to learn how to run a 5k race as a thank you for all of the help she had been given by the RUH.

“As running coaches, Ray and I gave her advice and she trained with us for many weeks until race day was reached and Ness’s fundraising was off the ground. Sadly, after so much more fundraising and astonishing feats resulting in over £100,000 being raised for the Forever Friends Appeal, Ness lost her life to this cruel disease.

During this time, we became friends with Ness and her family, including her sister, Nic, who is still so very much involved with carrying on her late sister’s legacy.

“Then, in 2008, whilst preparing for the Walk of Life, the Appeal’s fundraising walk set up with and in memory of Ness, my husband Ray was diagnosed with bowel cancer. This came as a total shock as he was/is so fit and healthy.

“Not to be deterred, we set about dealing with this in the only way we know how… staying positive in both body and mind. That year, I walked with even more determination to show my support to Ness, Ray and all the others suffering with this never-ending disease.

“On 20th May this year, my beloved eldest sister died very tragically and totally unexpectedly. Although nothing to do with her death, Cheryl had also come through breast cancer, resulting in having a mastectomy and six months of treatment, again so wonderfully well looked after by the RUH. She was well into her remission when she lost her life to an aneurysm. Then, if that wasn’t enough, just three days later, my sister’s partner of some 42 years collapsed from a heart attack which lead to her having three stents and a defibrillator fitted. Having collapsed in Frome, she was airlifted to the RUH where for three long days they battled to save her.

“As you can imagine, life will never be quite the same, but we really can’t thank

everyone at the RUH enough for everything they have done for us, our family and our friends over the years.”

Although public entries for the Sodbury Slog have now completely sold out, The

Forever Friends Appeal still has a number of charity places available! If you would like to join the incredible Sue and the rest of the team, please contact Laura, Events Fundraiser on: 01225 821535, email: [email protected]. Please note: online charity

entries have now closed, but the Appeal can manually enter new runners until 31st October.