Raising funds and awareness in tribute to beloved dad
TWYFORD: A man from Twyford who passed away unexpectedly following a cancer diagnosis is being honoured by his family this month in a Myeloma UK ‘25 for 25’ walking event.
Richard Payton, who died from a heart attack less than a week after being diagnosed with myeloma – a type of incurable blood cancer that affects the bone marrow – was unaware for months that the disease was present and had spread to his spine.
His daughter, Sasha Nash, from Henley-on-Thames, is still largely in shock from her dad’s passing on July 3, yet is putting on her running shoes alongside brother Scott Payton and cousin Nicola Hammond to raise awareness of this ‘silent killer.’
They are walking for 25 minutes each day for 25 consecutive days in September, the month when Myeloma UK celebrates its 25th anniversary.
She said: “There needs to be more awareness of myeloma especially with GPs. No one knows about myeloma and that’s the really dangerous side of it.”
Throughout his life, Richard, who died aged 71, had been a keen marathon runner, cyclist and gardener, and worked as a set-builder for 35 years on popular BBC soap, EastEnders.
In November 2021 the grandfather of four started complaining about a backache, something that was explained over several GP phone consultations as ‘old age.’
The aches and pains were in fact associated with late stages of the myeloma itself.
Seven months later, the correct diagnosis was delivered, but by then it was too late.
“No GP ever suspected anything,” said Sasha.
“What happened to dad was unnecessary. A massive thing for us is to get GPs on board and get people aware of it. I do believe that there’s so much that can be prevented with just a bit more general knowledge.”
“That’s our motivation now: to stop this happening to anyone else,” added the mother-of-two.
“If what we do can get people talking, get people seen earlier, then it might save lives. It will bring something positive out of this sadness.”
In a moving tribute to her father, Mrs Nash said doing a walking challenge is something her father would have approved.
“Dad sometimes ran six days a week, and was so healthy and did everything ‘by the book’. He was so active, right up until six months before he died,” she said.
“He always had such a heroic attitude.
“The day before he died he was still positive, still 100 per cent looking out for everyone else; grateful for every doctor – and not one grumble.
“The doctor told us how much pain he must have been in he just got on with it and was so positive to the very end.”
Myeloma occurs in the bone marrow and affects more than 24,000 people in the UK.
According to Myeloma UK, the charity offering support to families like Sasha’s, symptoms are ‘especially difficult to detect’ and although uncurable, it is ‘treatable in the majority of cases’ with care directed at relieving symptoms and complications and ‘extending and improving patients’ quality of life.’
Sasha hopes this ’25 for 25’ will be the first of many events for Myeloma UK as they have been an ‘incredible support’ to the family.
“We always thought dad would live until he was 100,” she said.
“I am doing this so he can. I have to try and keep him alive and this keeps his name alive.”
Visit www.justgiving.com/ fundraising/DavidPayton to view Sasha’s fundraiser.