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Typically when we talk about Group Fitness, we talk about working out, sweating
and shedding pounds. We talk about the camaraderie and the established accountability
of working out with friends and like minded people. And we talk about results. Results
for our bodies, our minds and yes, even our spirits. As the end of 2008 rolls around,
the Lifestyle Family Fitness Group Fitness team plans on feeding “spirits” more
than anything else!
This is because in the final month s of 2008, the Group Fitness team at Lifestyle
is giving back. Members and instructors alike are giving back to the communities
who give so much to us - giving back for all that Group Fitness has afforded us
in mind, body and spirit. In each of our 56 clubs in all of our markets from Naples
to Indianapolis, we’re teaming up with Breast Cancer and other local not-for-profit
organizations to give back to people just like us who need a lift in their spirits
too!
On the weekend mornings of November 1 – 2, 56 Lifestyle clubs launched new music
and choreography for all of our core Group Fitness programs. On these days, the
clubs opened their doors to anyone wanting to come in and join us in the celebration
of fitness and giving. Food, drinks, give-aways and tons of “fitness and fun” were
the order of the weekend. And all was done in the name of eliminating Breast Cancer
and helping those in our communities in need.
What an incredible way to spend our time - getting fit, having fun and giving back
– together as a fitness community to the larger community!
Let’s take a look at some of the national and local organizations who we supported.
Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything
in her power to end breast cancer forever. In 1982, that promise became Susan G.
Komen for the Cure and launched the global breast cancer movement. Today, Komen
for the Cure is the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors
and activists fighting to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all
and energize science to find the cures. Thanks to events like the Komen Race for
the Cure, we have invested more than $1.2 billion to fulfill our promise, becoming
the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer
in the world.
Since 1982, Komen for the Cure has played a critical role in every major advance
in the fight against breast cancer – transforming how the world talks about and
treats this disease and helping to turn millions of breast cancer patients into
breast cancer survivors. We are proud of our contribution to some real victories:
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More early detection – nearly 75 percent of women over 40 years old now receive
regular mammograms, the single most effective tool for detecting breast cancer early
(in 1982, less than 30 percent received a clinical exam).
More hope – the five-year survival rate for breast cancer, when caught early before
it spreads beyond the breast, is now 98 percent (compared to 74 percent in 1982).
More research – the federal government now devotes more than $900 million each year
to breast cancer research, treatment and prevention (compared to $30 million in
1982).
More survivors – America’s 2.5 million breast cancers survivors, the largest group
of cancer survivors in the U.S., are a living testament to the power of society
and science to save lives.
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The Moffitt Cancer Center is a not-for-profit institution that has made a lasting
commitment to the prevention and cure of cancer, working tirelessly in the areas
of patient care, research and education to advance one step further in fighting
this disease.
With more than 180,000 women estimated to be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008,
Moffitt Cancer Center is doing its part to fight this disease by launching an awareness
and education initiative during the month of October. By focusing on specific issues
such as future family planning considerations and less invasive surgical techniques
for treatment, Moffitt Cancer Center aims to help those in need of hope and direction.
The American Cancer Society is the nationwide community-based voluntary health
organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing
cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education,
advocacy, and service.
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer is the American Cancer Society's premier event
to raise awareness and funds to fight breast cancer. But it’s more than just the
name of a walk – it describes the amazing progress we’re making together to defeat
this disease. Since 1993, 4 million walkers have raised more than $280 million through
Making Strides. In 2007 alone, nearly 500,000 walkers across the country collected
more than $50 million to help fight breast cancer.
Making Strides is your opportunity to honor breast cancer survivors, educate women
about breast cancer prevention and early detection, and raise funds and awareness
to help achieve a day when no one will have to hear the words “You have breast cancer.”
The Pretty in Pink Foundation (PIP) was founded in 2004. PIP’s main focus is to
help pay for medical treatment costs (primarily surgery, chemo therapy, and radiation
therapy) for women in the North Carolina community diagnosed with breast cancer
who have little or no insurance and limited resources.
Pretty in Pink provides financial assistance to help pay for treatment for women
would not otherwise receive it. Eligibility is based on a completed needs assessment
(a sliding income and asset scale). PIP facilitates their receiving medical treatment
by helping to pay for cancer-related treatment (such as surgery, chemotherapy, and
radiation therapy) once they are approved into the Pretty in Pink Program. The goal
is to help women receive the necessary treatment regardless of their insurance status
or ability to pay and ultimately, to eliminate financial barriers to treatment.
Currently Pretty in Pink provides services and resources for residents of the Triangle
and the Triad within the State of North Carolina. As funding expands, so will the
areas of coverage.
The Cancer Alliance of Naples is a grassroots, volunteer-governed charitable organization.
CAN is devoted to improving the quality of life of local individuals and families
affected by cancer by providing need-based financial assistance, information resources
and links to services and support groups in the Naples community.
One of CAN's most important functions is to provide for the needs of individuals
in our community dealing with cancer. In almost every case, these issues would remain
unattended be it not for CAN's assistance. For example:
A 21 year-old young man in need of surgical intervention
that could only be rendered in another state, CAN provided a rental car and gas
cards for the family to take him to Boston. He could not fly due to his lungs could
not handle the pressure changes on an airplane.
For a widowed mother with advanced colon cancer, CAN provided her family with a
gift CAN with several personal items and cards to Publix and Mobil gas to enable
her to continue getting herself to her chemo treatments.
These are but a few examples of how CAN helps individuals affected by cancer every
day. This one-on-one, individual support is giving new hope to people in the Naples
community.
The Stefanie Spielman Patient Assistance Fund assists breast cancer patients and
their families who are struggling to afford the costs associated with treatment
and is devoted to advancing research in breast cancer. Over the past few years,
the fund has supported researchers and their efforts in fighting breast cancer.
Currently, the fund is focused on supporting several areas:
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The Spielman Fund will support the Stefanie Spielman Endowed Professorship in
Breast Cancer Research at Ohio State’s Comprehensive Cancer Center. The researcher
in this position will focus on translating discoveries made in the laboratory into
treatments for breast cancer patients.
The fund is supporting researchers in OSU School of Pharmacy and the Comprehensive
Cancer Center who are discovering, developing and testing new drugs for breast cancer
in clinical trials.
The fund will create an award for supporting new ideas and new investigators in
breast cancer.
The fund supports two efforts that provide an invaluable resource to support breast
cancer research – a large collection of breast cancers and the treatments and outcomes
of the patients with these breast cancers – the Spielman Breast Cancer Tissue Archive
Services and the Spielman Breast Cancer Tumor Bank. The tissue archive services
and the tumor bank allows for promising gene or protein discoveries in the laboratory
to be quickly tested on human breast cancers that come from patients.
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Since 1999, more than $5 million has been raised through this organization.
Group Fitness has given so much to all of us over the course of our lives. We
are healthier people - in mind, body and spirit - because of what Group Fitness
has done for us. And we want to give some of that health back to the communities
in which we live. If you want to join us, just visit one of our clubs over the next
few months and come take a Group Fitness class with us. Throughout November and
December, all of our teams will be getting fit in the name of Giving Back. Everyone
is invited to join us in taking our classes, getting a workout and giving back to
the communities who give so much to us.
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In addition to giving back in the name of Breast Cancer, our Columbus, Ohio teams
are also teaming up to give back to a charity that is near and dear to their hearts.
For the second year running, the Group Fitness teams in 5 of our Ohio clubs (Hilliard,
Downtown, Polaris, Northeast and New Albany) will be collecting food items for the
Mid-Ohio Food Bank.
For nearly 30 years, the mid-Ohio food bank has been working with grocers, food
companies, Ohio farmers, the USDA, and community partners to obtain food and distribute
it to more than 500 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, after-school programs,
and senior housing sites across central and eastern Ohio.
These 5 clubs will have bins in the Group Fitness rooms to collect non-perishable
food items for people in need. What a great way to give back this holiday season!
For more information, email Beth Murray at bmurray@lff.com.
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3 of our Orlando clubs, Apopka, Tuskawilla and Winter Park Village will be collecting
food items for needy families during this holiday season. These 3 clubs will have
bins in the Group Fitness rooms to collect non-perishable food items for people
in need. What a wonderful way to share the gift of health with others this holiday
season!
On Thursday night October 30th employees and members at the Hunters Creek Lifestyle
held a Champion's ride for charity. All donations and raffle ticket sales were donated
directly to the Autism Society of Greater Orlando. One of the club members is the
Vice President of the organization and has a son with Autism. Therefore it is a
cause that is near and dear to the team at Hunters Creek. The one and a half hour
class was a fantastic lead-in to the launch of our Breast Cancer benefit!
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On Saturday November 15, the Citrus Park Group Fitness team held a Ride in the
name of the Metropolitan Ministries of Tampa. Five, ½ hour blocks of spinning took
place – great music, great fitness and great fun! Donations including dry canned
goods, clothing items, unwrapped toys or cash all go to the Metropolitan Ministries.
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