You know how we sometimes take on little challenges in our community: Last year it was 2 minute planks, then who could forget 12,000 seconds of yoga and all those early morning Sun Salutations?! Well, this time, we’re bringing that same energy to push ups. We’re joining the Cancer Research UK 100 Push-Ups Challenge for September, and I’m so thankful to be part of it.
Why are we putting ourselves through this?!
It’s simple really. Taking on 100 push-ups a day, whether that’s within a team or as an individual, isn’t just a workout – it’s a statement. And in our case, it’s a statement of solidarity. Solidarity with everyone who’s faced cancer, with those who love someone who has faced it or is currently facing it, with people caring for those living with it, and with researchers fighting toward breakthroughs.
By taking on the push-up challenge, we’re showing all those people that we’re thinking about them, and fighting alongside them, but we’re also raising vital funds that pays for clinical research, support nurses, and advance treatments, because every push-up brings us one step closer to beating cancer.
I’m thrilled that my daft yoga and Pilates class members are standing (or pushing) by me, with some signing up to the challenge themselves, but all taking on extra push ups during classes.
Where the money goes
This is serious research we’re funding, if you think of how far cancer research and treatment has come in my own lifetime…
Half of people diagnosed with cancer in England and Wales now survive their disease for ten years or more – that’s essentially double from the 70’s. Cancer Research
Our money is going toward kitting out labs, genome analysis, early diagnosis biopsies, and even paying for a team of researchers in Manchester trying to diagnose and monitor cases of lung cancer in a less invasive way – If I can raise £300, that pays for a centrifuge that separates blood cells so scientists can study different types of cancerous cells.
That to me is amazing!
Sharing our journey through the challenge
As we move through each day, whether that’s 30 push-ups in class, or smashing out 100 in the living room, we’ll be sharing our journey in the socials and supporting each other in our members only Facebook group. Expect to see little updates: ‘Send help, I’m stuck in Como Lounge!’ or ‘Actually hurt to drive my vintage Mini, with no power steering!’ and ‘6 full press ups with a 25kg dog on top – does that count as double?!’ (The answer to that one is yes, yes it does)!
A message from me to my members – This isn’t about perfect form, or perfect numbers – It’s about doing your best. Thank you so much for joining me 🙏
If you’d like to show your support, we’d love a bit of money if you can spare it, or words of encouragement in any posts that mentions the challenge.
You can find my link here: Jayne’s Giving Page Let’s raise our awareness and vital research funds, one push-up at a time. Together, we’ll show that a little yoga and Pilates class in Carterton can stretch beyond the mat and into something so much bigger.