Charity makes call for support for Walk All Over Cancer campaign
ISLANDERS are being challenged to kick start the new year by ‘walking all over cancer’.
Cancer Research UK is encouraging everybody who feels they over-indulged at Christmas to get sponsored to walk 10,000 steps every day for a month. But not until March.
Sport England found that around one in four people get less than 30 minutes of physical activity a week.
Lynn Daly, Cancer Research UK’s spokesman for the Channel Islands, said for many people the start of a new year is a great time to commit to being a bit more active.
‘If you need a new and achievable challenge for 2020, visit our website and sign up now to Walk All Over Cancer.
‘We are asking people to get sponsored to walk 10,000 steps a day in March. There’s plenty of time to start building up to the challenge and planning new, fun ways to fit in some extra steps – from getting off the bus one stop early to organising walks with family and friends.’
As well as helping to raise money for charity, the challenge has health benefits as moderate exercise can help build stamina, burn calories and keep a healthy body weight, which reduces the risk of 13 different types of cancer, she said.
‘Participants can tackle our Walk All Over Cancer challenge in their own way – they can take part on their own or ask family, friends and colleagues to join them.
‘It offers a great opportunity to explore new places or carve out some “me time” by doing the challenge alone.’
Based on average strides, 10,000 steps is equal to about five miles.
Keeping check on the number of steps taken each day can boost motivation and a sense of achievement and with many available smartphone apps, pedometers and wearable trackers it is also easy to do.
Ms Daly added: ‘Cancer survival has doubled since the early 1970s and Cancer Research UK’s work has been at the heart of that progress. But every step our doctors, nurses and scientists take relies on donations from the public and the tireless fundraising of our supporters.
‘There are more than 200 types of cancer and we need continued investment in research to help us find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat them. That’s why we need people to step up to the challenge and Walk All Over Cancer.’
n To sign up and receive a fundraising pack, with tips and ideas to help with the challenge, visit cruk.org/walkallover.
