People & Lifestyle report, December 2006
GETTING TOUGH ON PROSTATES
How Clare's scaling the heights to help fight prostate disease
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The message Clare Laidler received on her office email wasn’t really aimed at the girls! It was meant to attract the attention of the macho men working in the Hammersmith, West London, offices of Innocent Drinks, inviting them to take part in the rough and rougish Tough Guy Challenge – an arduous event organised by an ex-SAS officer. The ‘innocent’ guys decided to copy the girls in on the dare, just for fun, little expecting that they would rise to the occasion.
But Clare, 22, who lives in East Finchley, North London, and works in the Innocent finance department was determined to prove she’s no wilting wallflower when it comes to meeting a test. As soon as she read the email, she decided she wanted to take part and at the same time raise money for Prostate Research Campaign UK in memory of her beloved grandfather who died of prostate cancer when she was just seven years old. Prostate cancer is diagnosed in around 32,000 men in Britain every year. Some 10,000 British men die of the disease annually, generally because it is found too late.
“My granddad was ill for a very long time, and even as a child I was conscious of how devastating prostate disease can be,” she says. “I love exercising and belong to a local gym. I decided that by taking up the Tough Guy Challenge, I could fulfil a dream to scale an obstacle course. At the same time, it also gave me the chance to raise awareness about prostate disease, and money for Prostate Research Campaign UK to look for cures for prostate cancer and other prostate problems.” Aware of the dangers, she says she keeps an eye on her father to make sure he gets himself checked out for prostate disease on a regular basis.
Clare is aiming to raise at least £1,000 for PRC UK by completing a 10 kilometre run over rough ground, clambering up and down hills, completing an SAS style assault course involving running through fire, scaling an ‘A’ frame, and wading/swimming through a freezing river, regardless of rain, hail, sleet or snow. Currently she’s in training, running every day with two of her flatmates and working out at the local gym three days a week.
“The challenge is on January 28th so I’ve got to get down to training seriously now,” she laughs. “Last year, one of the guys in our office completed the course in one hour 45 minutes. It took another man over four hours. I will be happy just to complete the course,” she says.
Clare has set up a Website and if you would like to sponsor her you can donate online. Visit www.justgiving.com/otherclare to learn more about her personal challenge and her bid to prevent other men suffering the same fate as her grandfather.