WHEN Don Shanks lost his best pal and former QPR team-mate Stan Bowles to Alzheimer’s last year he vowed to dust off his running shoes one last time.
Seven years after completing the New York Marathon that raised £50,000 to help cover Bowles’ medical care, Shanks will pound the streets of the Big Apple once again on November 2 in aid of the Alzheimer’s Society – just two days after his 73rd birthday.
Just GivingDon Shanks and Stan Bowles were thick as thieves[/caption]
AlamyThe iconic QPR team that Don Shanks and Stan Bowles played in[/caption]
ShutterstockStan Bowles poses with QPR legends (l-r) John Hollins, Ian Gillard, Gerry Francis, Don Shanks, Don Givens and Ron Abbott[/caption]
Bowles, who was voted as QPR’s greatest ever player and has a stand at Loftus Road named after him, passed away in February 2024, 11 years after being diagnosed with a disease that affects around a million people in the UK and is now the country’s biggest killer.
According to research by the Alzheimer’s Society it’s estimated that by 2040 1.4 million will be living with the condition.
Shanks told Sun Sport: “Stan has gone, but dementia hasn’t and I promised I would do everything to help fight this awful disease in his memory.
“The last time I ran this marathon I finished in four hours 11 minutes, but I was 66 then, so this time I will be aiming to do it in about six hours.”
Shanks is currently preparing for the race in Egypt and will then head to Tampa to meet up with another QPR great and ex-teammate Rodney Marsh before jetting up to New York.
He said: “I have been off the beer and burgers for about a month now and I know it will be a tough slog, but it is a small price to pay because the work done by the Alzheimer’s Society is crucial in helping those affected by this cruellest of diseases.”
Shanks and Bowles were thick as thieves during and after their playing days and Don admits he was heartbroken to witness the decline of one of English football‘s great maverick talents as Alzheimer’s took its grip upon the former England international.
He said: “Stan gave everything to football.
RYDER CUP 2025 BETTING TIPS, FREE BETS AND LATEST ODDS
“He was my best mate, but this is not just about him, it is also for those people across the country who don’t have a profile and need help.
“The Alzheimer’s Society offers so much support to families affected by dementia and I am hoping to raise £100,000, which is ambitious, but with people’s help achievable.”
Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
