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Allan Bateman will run Cardiff Half Marathon later this year in honour of his daughter Naomi
Former Wales centre Allan Bateman will run Cardiff Half Marathon later this year in honour of his daughter Naomi.
Naomi recently passed away after a brave battle with triple-negative breast cancer – an aggressive, fast-growing type of cancer.
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 Noami’s friends,” Bateman told WalesOnline. “We wanted to do something to remember her and put her name where people would see.
“Her husband and myself have agreed to go along and raise some money for Tenovus, as well as awareness of triple-negative breast cancer.
“Early detection before it spreads is paramount. It’s important that if women and girls find something, they act on it very sharply.
“It’s just emphasising that if you don’t get something done quickly, it’s a killer. I work in chemical pathology and I wasn’t aware of this type of cancer.
“If I don’t know, there must be loads of people who aren’t aware. That’s why it’s so important.”
Bateman, who represented Britain in both rugby league and rugby union, is particularly keen to spread the message about early prevention given the lack of treatment options.
“It was horrific,” he added. “We thought she was in the clear when she had the mastectomy.
“It came back within three months. Within 10 weeks, she had passed away. There were no treatment options.
“We’d tried all over the world, with trials and such. But with this particular cancer, there was very little you could do.
“We thought we would have more time. We were hoping for a couple of years, but it just didn’t happen. It’s devastating.”
In the donation link, Bateman paid tribute to Naomi, saying that there are “some people who move through the world with a gentleness that leaves a lasting mark on everyone they meet.
“That was my daughter, Naomi. 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.
“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.
“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. Even on the hardest afternoons, that gentle spirit never wavered.
“But cancer is a cruel, relentless thief. It took her from us far too soon, leaving a void in our family and in the hearts of everyone who loved her that can never be filled.
“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.”
In a post on Facebook, the former Maesteg and Neath centre elaborated on his decision to run the half marathon.
“At just 34 years old, my beautiful daughter Naomi was taken from us after a short but incredibly brave battle with Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC),” said Bateman in a heartfelt Facebook post.
“Naomi was a gentle, deeply kind soul.
“She loved animals, lived passionately as a vegan, and possessed a wonderfully screechy, completely infectious laugh that could brighten the darkest room.
“Her loss has left a profound void in our hearts, but her legacy of love remains untouched.
“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.
“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.
“Thank you for helping us carry Naomi’s beautiful light across the finish line.”
A link to donate can be found here.
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