IN 1966, I was proud to be part of the England football team that my good friend, Bobby Moore, led to World Cup success.

Today, the charity set up 10 years ago by his widow, Stephanie, The Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK, is still working hard to help prevent and treat bowel cancer -- the disease that Bobby died from in 1993.

Like many of you reading this letter, cancer has affected my family with both my daughter Mandy and my wife Lesley having had treatment for the disease. That's why I feel it is crucial to help raise awareness of all kinds of cancer affecting men, women and children.

However, April will see the focus on bowel cancer, the UK's second most common cause of cancer death, after lung cancer. During Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, I am pleased to be working alongside the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK to raise much needed awareness of this type of cancer.

This year, two of my children, Jimmy and Mandy, will be running the London Marathon as part of the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK team. Over the past 10 years the Fund has raised more than £2 million pounds for research into bowel cancer and, while progress is being made, we still have a long way to go.

If you have your own place in the London Marathon and would like to join the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK team, and my children, please call 020 7009 8881 for a sponsorship pack.

Alan Ball

1996 World Cup Team