Running for Richard: Tonya Beechey and Rebecca Ballard prepare to step out in Relay For Life.
Erin Pearson
RICHARD Beechey was just 35 when he died after a seven-month battle with gastric cancer, leaving behind a wife and two young children at Bannockburn.
Eight months later his family is banding together with a Relay For Life team to raise awareness of the cancer that claimed his life.
Richard’s widow, Tonya Beechey, joined his mother for the fundraiser last year when they walked in hope he would recover. This year they will walk in his honour.
“It was really inspiring to meet other people going through the same thing last year. At the time Richard had only just been diagnosed,” Ms Beechey said.
“Cancer’s just one of those things you hear about but you never think it’s going to happen to you, but for us it did.”
Ms Beechey said gastric cancer commonly afflicted men aged over 50.
“It’s not a pin-up cancer like breast, prostate, skin or bowl cancer,” she said.
“Death at any age is horrible but gastric cancer has no symptoms, no warning signs.”
Ms Beechey said her seven-year-old son, Owen, and daughter Aayla, 2, would join the walk this year to remember their father.
“It’s been really great as a family to do this. We’ve talked to Owen about it and he’s excited to run around the track.”
Relay For Life will run from March 19 to 20 at Deakin University’s Waurn Ponds campus.
Ms Beechey said people could contribute at relayforlife.org.au.
