Former Wales centre Allan Bateman will run the Cardiff Half Marathon later this year in honour of his daughter Naomi, who recently passed away at age 34 after a battle with triple-negative breast cancer, an aggressive and fast-growing cancer.
Half Marathon to Raise Funds and Awareness
The dual-code international announced he would take part in October's half marathon to raise money for Cancer Research. "It's not just me, there's a load of Naomi's friends," Bateman told WalesOnline. "We wanted to do something to remember her and put her name where people would see."
Bateman added that Naomi's husband and himself have agreed to raise money for Tenovus, as well as awareness of triple-negative breast cancer. He emphasised the importance of early detection: "Early detection before it spreads is paramount. It's important that if women and girls find something, they act on it very sharply."
The Aggressive Nature of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Bateman, who worked in chemical pathology, admitted he was unaware of this type of cancer before his daughter's diagnosis. "If I don't know, there must be loads of people who aren't aware. That's why it's so important," he said.
Despite a mastectomy, the cancer returned within three months. "It came back within three months. Within 10 weeks, she had passed away. There were no treatment options," Bateman said. "We'd tried all over the world, with trials and such. But with this particular cancer, there was very little you could do."
Emotional Tribute to Naomi
In a heartfelt Facebook post, Bateman described Naomi as "a soul completely full of love, life, and an unwavering kindness." He wrote: "At just 34 years old, she was a soul completely full of love, life, and an unwavering kindness. She looked at the world with empathy, choosing a vegan life out of a deep, protective love for all animals."
He recalled her laugh: "And then, there was her laugh. It was a wonderful, beautifully screechy, entirely infectious laugh that could instantly bright up the darkest room. To know Naomi was to know pure warmth."
Bateman continued: "Then, our world was tilted on its axis. Naomi was diagnosed with Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC). What followed was a short but incredibly brave battle. TNBC is aggressive, but Naomi faced it with a quiet, fierce dignity that I will admire for the rest of my days."
Legacy of Love
"The grief of losing a child is a heavy, suffocating weight. But Naomi did not leave us empty-handed; she left us with her legacy of love, and a reminder to live as fiercely and kindly as she did," Bateman wrote.
The former Maesteg and Neath centre elaborated on his decision to run the half marathon: "To honour her memory and fight back against the disease that stole her from us, I am running the Cardiff Half Marathon alongside her lifelong friends. We are raising vital funds for Cancer Research to help ensure other families are spared this devastating heartbreak."
Bateman concluded: "Every step we take across Cardiff will be heavy with love, tears, and the memory of our gentle girl. If you are able to donate, your support will fund the breakthroughs that Naomi so truly deserved. If you cannot donate, please share our page or simply pass on a bit of Naomi’s trademark kindness today."
