In 2013 Dave Baxter, a contractor from Brentwood working with Ford in Dunton, went for an ultrasound scan after feeling very poorly.

“We noticed the difference in my Dad but to many people he still looked a really strong healthy man,” said his elder son Jack. “At Queen’s Hospital one of the doctors came into the room where I was waiting with him and asked which one of us was ill!”

The ultrasound scan identified lesions on Dave’s liver. A CT scan followed. Ten days later Dave was told that he had Malignant Melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer which had spread to his lungs and liver and was generally unresponsive to treatment. His GP referred him to Saint Francis Hospice, based in Havering-atte-Bower, for specialist care.

Dave’s partner Gaynor continued: “Just before going in to the hospice’s inpatient unit we had seen an oncologist at Bart’s Hospital and everyone thought Dave had just days to live but the excellent care and treatment he received when he stayed at the hospice was transformative. They completely managed his symptoms during his two-week stay and Dave went from being confined to bed, completely incapacitated to a semblance of his normal self.”

“In the five months between being diagnosed with Melanoma and his death I only saw my Dad cry once” said Jack “and that was when he was at the hospice and he was crying because he said everyone at the hospice was so kind. I know my Dad was impressed with the level of care they gave him.”

Dave and Gaynor originally married in 1990 but in 2001 sadly divorced. However four years later they were back together again On 11th June 2013 they remarried at the hospice. “It was a really lovely day. I think that day was the last happy day the four of us had together” said son Jack.

Sadly, Dave’s treatment for Melanoma was not successful and he died on September 19th 2013, surrounded by his family. “I’m forever grateful to Saint Francis Hospice for the extra time we got to spend with my Dad. I’ve made two promises as a result of what happened to him. The first is to always be aware of Melanoma, the fifth most common cancer in England – my brother and I now have regular mole checks and try to make others aware of the dangers of using sunbeds and not using sun creams, and the second is to always support the hospice”.

Dave’s son Jack and several friends ran the London Marathon in 2015 to raise money for the hospice and now they are at it again. Jack and Gaynor, together with friends James Sapwell, Jack Kennedy, Max Fitch and Andy Gray will be running this year’s London Marathon on Sunday, April 24th.

So far the friends, who are calling themselves Team Dave Baxter 2016, have raised over £4,000 by holding quiz and disco nights but they are hoping their most ambitious fundraising challenge will bring the community together to help them set a new Guinness World Record.

“We want to hold the world record attempt for the most people dancing to Oops Upside your Head by the Gap Band on Shenfield Common on 17th April, the Sunday before the London Marathon,” said James, 25, who served as a Brentwood Borough councillor from 2011 to 2015.

“The current record is 258 people so we need 259 or more to break the record. At first I was thinking of getting the record for the Macarena but that’s over 2,000 people so Oops Upside your head is a lot easier and it’s my favourite party song!” he added.

Jack said that there will be a suggested £5 doantion per person taking part in the record attempt and supporters can also donate online at uk.virginmoneygiving.com/TeamDaveBaxter.

“Fundraising is going well but we still need more to reach our target” said Jack. I want to thank Dave Green at the Hermit who will be supplying the sound system for the world record attempt and Ryan Stanbrook who has organised the portable toilets.”

“The London Marathon will be an awesome day and I am really buzzing about it, although the training has been much harder than I expected,” said James, who prepared for the London Marathon by running with Jack Baxter, Jack Kennedy and Max Fitch in the Brentwood Half Marathon on March 20th.

Andy Gray completed the London Marathon last year for Team Dave Baxter in just 3 hours 14 minutes so is looking to better that time in the 2016 race.

Anne Brown, Head of Fundraising at Saint Francis Hospice said: “We wish all of Team Dave Baxter the best of luck in the London Marathon and with all their incredible fundraising efforts in the lead up to that race. If you can help then break the world record for the most people in one place dancing to Oops Upside your Head please do go along to Shenfield Common at 1.30pm on Sunday 17th April.

Saint Francis Hospice is a registered charity that employs 150 nurses, doctors and specialist healthcare staff who are supported by 800 volunteers. Together they provide care and help to more than 4,000 people across the boroughs of Havering, Barking & Dagenham, Redbridge and Brentwood. Saint Francis Hospice provides all of its services free of charge to support patients from our local community with any life-limiting illness including cancer, heart, lung or motor neurone disease.