Steve Lee, age 63, hopes to raise thousands of pounds for the June Hancock Mesothelioma Research Fund. Lee hopes the money he raises by running in the 13.1 mile race will help aid mesothelioma researchers looking for a cure.
Lee will be joined by his wife, Ros. Steve and Ros are both avid runners. Steve has been a runner for nearly 30 years. They have previously completed another half-marathon in 2 hours and 45 minutes, and Steve hopes to run the upcoming race at an even quicker pace.
Steve has run the Wokingham Half-Marathon before, but this year will be especially challenging due to his failing health. Still, Steve says "I'm feeling quite good physically. Once I get into my rhythm I can keep going. As long as I don't accelerate too hard I'm okay." Still, the effects of his asbestos-related cancer are evident in his running times. Before the onset of his illness, Steve could run a half-marathon in about 90 minutes.
Steve believes the cause of his illness is asbestos inhaled while working on building sites as a student. Steve says it is also possible he was exposed to asbestos as a child, as his parent's home contained asbestos. Steve believes that his running regimen is helping him fight off the cancer. Steve was told that the average survival time after diagnosis for his cancer would be about one year, but he has managed to thrive for almost two years.
"I went to the doctors about three weeks ago. They said the disease was stable, but no one knows how it will develop. I talked to the specialist who said my fitness might be helping keep the disease at bay."
Oncologists, including US-based doctor Valerie Rusch, are particularly intrigued by the development of mesothelioma cancer, and continue to study this disease with the hope of eventually finding a cure. In recent years, the survival rate for mesothelioma sufferers has improved with the use of new cancer-fighting drugs, like Alimta.
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