Tag Archives: Runner's World UK

CANCER RESEARCH UK CONTINUING TO BURY THE TRUTH ABOUT THE RACE FOR LIFE

In March we reported how the new Chair at Cancer Research UK, Lord Simon Stevens, had snubbed Race for Life creator Jim Cowan by failing to reply to his letter of 18th October 2023. 

Jim’s letter was in response to Stevens’ appointment as Chair at CRUK and asking that he assist in putting right a wrong of almost thirty years, that of Jim being written from the history of the Race for Life, the event he created.

Incredibly, Stevens has finally replied. Or, more accurately, Simon Ledsham (Cancer Research UK’s Director of Fundraising) has replied on his behalf.

Ledsham’s letter was dated 15th May 2024 meaning it took an incredible seven months for CRUK to reply to Jim Cowan’s letter. Yes, you read that correctly, seven months.

Why the reply took so long in coming is unclear. It certainly said nothing new, stating that CRUK do not credit anyone with originating any of their events.

It is a position riddled with flaws and which only evidences the fact that CRUK will use any excuse to avoid having to face up to the truth. 

The line has been used by CRUK previously when their Head of Legal, Nicki Ford, replied to a 2017 letter from Jim to the former CRUK Chief Executive Harpal Kumar. Ford’s letter, referring specifically to the Race for Life, stated, “we do not publicly credit anyone with originating the event, whether it be a former employee or otherwise.”

Not crediting former employees for events they might have created may be reasonable. After all, it was part of their job. That said, some might consider it more than a little hypocritical given the recognition successive CEOs and Chairs have been happy to accept for simply doing their jobs.

However, that is irrelevant. Jim was never an employee of the organisation. He came up with the idea following his own father’s cancer diagnosis and proposed the event to the Imperial Cancer Research Fund (ICRF; CRUK’s former name) as one that he would organise and deliver, and which ICRF would benefit from. 

He came up with the idea completely independently of ICRF/CRUK and never proposed the Race for Life would become anything other than an event that he would organise in support of them. He never proposed that the event should be taken over and run by them.

It was only after the successful launch of the event in 1994 that ICRF’s Head of Events, Jill MacRae, called Jim up and told him he was no longer required. Yes, they stole the event. And MacRae even went on to falsely claim she had created the event herself.

Surely, given this history, it would be right and proper for a charity, an organisation you would hope has at least some integrity, to put the record straight and recognise Jim (and, in so doing, his father’s memory).

Unfortunately, CRUK are not an organisation of integrity. Instead they prefer to keep the truth buried and continue to lie.

And the evidence exposes CRUK’s ‘credit no one’ stance for the cover up it is.

Previously they have cited a number of different, incorrect, sources as where the Race for Life originated. But they were happy to do so, happy to give credit, even though it was to the wrong people they were crediting. What of the ‘credit no one’ stance then?

They turned a blind eye to Jill MacRae’s lies (and fraud) when she claimed to have created the event; a lie which did nothing to harm MacRae’s career. There was no ‘credit no one stance’ then.

Cancer Research UK also regularly recognise those from outside their organisation (as Jim was) for their fundraising efforts, for the events and other fundraisers they stage. They even have an annual awards ceremony at which these individuals are recognised, the Flame of Hope Awards. Hardly ‘credit no one.’

Their social media regularly applauds the efforts of those both from within and from outside the organisation for their efforts to raise funds. ‘Credit no one’?

They happily accept recognition for themselves, presumably not seeing doing so for the hypocrisy it is. Stevens himself has accepted a peerage and a knighthood in recognition of his own work. CEO Michelle Mitchelle accepted an OBE in recognition of her work. Previous Chairs and CEOs have done the same.

But, when it comes to recognition for Jim Cowan for creating their largest and most successful fundraiser, it is a position of ‘credit no one.’ A dictionary definition of the word hypocrisy.

Why adopt a ‘credit no one’ stance when both their history and their present day are littered with examples of credit being given and achievements being recognised? This, on top of a history of citing incorrect sources for the event for which they now ‘credit no one’.

And then there was their 2020 inquiry into the origins of the Race for Life. A sham inquiry if ever their was one. An inquiry which chose not to speak to witnesses and failed to ask for any documentary evidence before coming up with the finding that the origins of the Race for Life could not be established. And why have that inquiry if the organisation’s position is one of ‘credit no one’ anyway?

And it was the same Simon Ledsham who has now written to Jim, on behalf of CRUK’s Chair, citing their sham ‘credit no one’ stance, who wrote at that time (2020) that they had; “explored all reasonable lines of enquiry” and had been “unable to find any solid evidence which supports his (Jim Cowan’s) claim to be the sole originator of Race for Life.”

Well, which is it Simon? Do you ‘credit no one’ or do you spend time investigating (without seeking evidence or witnesses) before stating you’ve been unable to find the evidence you never looked for?

Simon Ledsham presenting a Flame of Hope Award in 2023

Indeed the evidence, should you bother to look for it, speaks for itself. The correspondence from 1993 (page 1 here here and page 2 here) and 1994 (here) is clear. If there is doubt, witnesses can be asked. If there is still doubt, even Runners World magazine acknowledge the Race for Life as Jim’s creation. And they should know because Jim involved them from the very start.

But CRUK choose to ignore all the evidence opting instead to keep the truth buried, to ignore the lies they have told over the last thirty years, to ‘credit no one’ while hypocritically crediting others and accepting credit for themselves.

Recent years have seen a number of cover ups exposed. From Grenfell to Hillsborough and from contaminated blood to the Post Office, among many others. Perhaps, in their denial, in their lies, and in their covering up of the truth, Cancer Research UK’s senior management are doing little other than attempting to create ‘plausible deniability’ over how much they know just in case media, politicians and the courts ask questions of them in the future?

But the dishonesty, the hypocrisy and the many contradictions are there and clear to see for all who care to look.

CRUK by name, crooks by nature.

In the Race 4 Truth, Cancer Research UK are lagging behind.

NEW CANCER RESEARCH UK CHAIR SNUBS RACE FOR LIFE CREATOR

Cancer Research UK’s new Chair, Lord Simon Stevens, has snubbed Race for Life creator Jim Cowan who wrote to him following his appointment last October. 

When Lord Simon Stevens was appointed as Cancer Research UK’s new Chair, replacing outgoing Chair Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, Jim Cowan wrote to him in the hope that a new Chair might represent an opportunity for Cancer Research UK (CRUK) to rediscover its integrity and do the right thing by correcting its historic misinformation campaign over the creation of the Race for Life.

Lord Stevens took up his post in October 2023 and Jim wrote to him on 18th of that month.

In his letter (see below), Jim congratulated Lord Stevens on his appointment before stating that it was his hope that Lord Stevens would help to right a wrong of nearly thirty years; the misrepresentation of the origins of the Race for Life and, with it, Jim, the person who created the Race for Life, never being recognised for coming up with the original idea for and launching Cancer Research UK’s most popular fundraising event. 

Jim then went on to outline the correct, historically accurate version of the event’s creation which followed his own late father’s cancer diagnosis in 1993. He explained how he had come up with the idea and went on to tell how Jill MacRae had then laid false claim to the idea being hers. He confirmed that his position was supported by documentary evidence and by witnesses. He also noted that reputable sources such as Wikipedia and Runners World magazine recognise him as the event’s creator while CRUK continued to refuse to do so.

He reached out with a genuine offer to meet and to share evidence stating; “Despite nearly thirty years of being ignored by the charity you now Chair, I remain happy to meet and to share evidence with you. I am also more than happy to examine any contradictory evidence (in the unlikely event any exists) and comment on it. Witnesses, including the person who made the initial introduction, are still available too.”

In closing he wrote; “I trust that as the new Chair of the charity you will be seeking to be at the head of an organisation that does, and is seen to do, the right thing. I therefore hope I can look forward to hearing from you soon and to beginning the process of righting the wrongs of almost thirty years and to finally putting the record straight.”

It was then not until 23rd November that Jim received a reply, not from Lord Stevens but from his Executive Assistant Jo Stephens who wrote only to confirm that Jim’s letter had been received and that they would be in touch in due course.

And then……….

Nothing.

On 22nd January 2024, a quarter of a year after his initial letter and over eight weeks after Jo Stephens confirmation of receipt, Jim decided to write again in order to chase the courtesy of a reply.

And again……….

Nothing.

It is patently clear that instead of looking at the evidence and gathering facts, instead of addressing the very serious issue the matter raises with regard CRUK’s lack of integrity and systemic dishonesty, Lord Stevens has instead preferred to snub Jim. He has not even extended the common courtesy of a reply, even one stating that CRUK’s position is not changing.

Clearly, when CRUK’s position cannot be defended, when there is no counter story that can be offered that is based in truth, and there is no evidence to counter Jim’s, Lord Stevens has decided to assume CRUK’s long held position of silence and of ignoring Jim.

This is a position completely lacking in integrity, one without honesty. A position that points only to a fear of confronting the truth. In this instance silence is not golden, it is incriminating.


In the Race 4 Truth, Cancer Research UK, and with them Lord Stevens, are lagging behind.

UPDATE (29th May 2024):
Incredibly, seven months after Jim first wrote to Lord Stevens he has finally received a reply; not from Lord Stevens but from CRUK’s Director of Fundraising, Simon Ledsham. Read the full details and our take on it here: https://race4truth.com/cancer-research-uk-continuing-to-bury-the-truth-about-the-race-for-life/

Read Jim Cowan’s 18th October 2023 letter to Lord Stevens here:
https://race4truth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Simon-Stevens-New-Chair-v2-17Oct23.pdf
Read Jo Stephens 23rd November reply here:
https://race4truth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Jo-Stephens-23Nov2320240304_15051013.pdf
Read Jim Cowan’s 22nd January 2024 follow up letter to Lord Stevens here:
https://race4truth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Simon-Stevens-New-Chair-Chase-Up-v1-22Jan24.pdf

RUNNER’S WORLD MAGAZINE RECOGNISE JIM COWAN AS THE CREATOR OF THE RACE FOR LIFE

Runner’s World magazine recently celebrated it’s 30th anniversary in the UK and in its 30th Anniversary issue ran a feature on ‘Running Game Changers 1993-2023.’

The article was introduced with the words; “Our running community has gone through some pretty seismic changes in the three decades since Runner’s World arrived in it. Here, we salute 30 key figures who have been instrumental in changing the game.”

And, at number 2 on the list, in amongst famous names such as Jessica Ennis-Hill, Paula Radcliffe, and Usain Bolt, Runner’s World listed ‘Jim Cowan, Creator of Race for Life.’

The piece described how, inspired by his own father’s battle with cancer, Jim’s vision changed the running landscape in the UK by opening up the way for the many running charity fundraising events now a feature on the calendar. Along the way it also became Cancer Research UK’s biggest fundraiser securing over £1Billion for the organisation over the thirty years.

While Cancer Research UK continue to deny the fact that Jim created the event, Runner’s World knows the facts. Indeed, before Jim even launched the event, he was talking to Runner’s World about it and, through their then Women’s Running Editor Alison Fletcher, they came onboard as one of the Race for Life’s very first official partners.

While Cancer Research UK clearly lack the moral compass to correct the record and to recognise Jim Cowan as the creator of the Race for Life and that the event is his father’s legacy, the truth is gradually being recognised by more and more people and organisations.

Ask Google, “who created the Race for Life?” The search engine will tell you it was Jim Cowan.

Wikipedia corrected their entry when provided with evidence as to who created the event and now recognise Jim Cowan as that person, inconveniently for Cancer Research UK, also providing a link to a letter from Jill MacRae on Imperial Cancer Research Fund letterhead (CRUK’s former name) clearly stating the fact. MacRae was later exposed as someone who had laid false claim to being the event’s creator after cutting all ties to Jim Cowan.

And now, one of the world’s most prestigious running publications has recognised Jim for his amazing creation, a magazine that would know because they supported Jim when launching the event in 1994.

Cancer Research UK continue to back themselves into a corner and deny what the evidence supports and what is patently clear to a growing number of others; Jim Cowan created the Race for Life.

When will CRUK and its leadership under CEO Michelle Mitchell, rediscover some integrity, some honesty, and admit they got it wrong. By now, they must know the truth making their continued denial little short of a lie. A lie they happily spin to any and all who will listen.

In the Race 4 Truth, Cancer Research UK is lagging behind.