WHEN EMMA Piper takes part in the Southampton Race for Life on July 20, thoughts of her brother will not be far away.

"I'm sure he will be looking down and laughing as I huff and puff my way round the Common," said Emma, 25, of Caernarvon Gardens, Chandler's Ford.

Geoff died at the age of 28 from a brain tumour. A focused and determined student, he had just landed his dream job as an electrical engineer when he was diagnosed with cancer.

"He was an old fashioned type of guy. He was dyslexic at school but he did his degree and he was very career-orientated.

"He had a good sense of humour," said Emma, who has been training for the 5km run for the last couple of months.

It was his strength and humour that was to see him through the years from his diagnosis in 1998 to his death in 2002.

"He was very strong and kept himself occupied by doing things around the house like making a bird table and rabbit run," she said.

A year after his death, Emma wants to say thank you for the care her brother received at the Royal South Hants Hospital and the Countess Mountbatten House by raising funds for more research.

"After he died I started going to the gym a lot and it was while I was there that I saw the entry forms for Race for Life and decided to have a go," she said.

"I'm looking forward to taking part. I think it's a good way of saying thank you for the wonderful care that Geoff received," she said.

Entries for Race for Life close on Sunday, July 13. To take part call 0870 513 4314.