AFL legend invites Australians to join him at the Mother's Day Classic
Sydney, 19 April 2016 - First they danced the quick step on Dancing With The Stars, now AFL legend Jude Bolton and his wife Lynette are taking a step of a different kind, helping the 44 Australian women diagnosed every day with breast cancer. As ambassadors for HCF’s Walk With Us initiative they will each lead a team in the Mother’s Day Classic and are calling on the nation to join them in walking towards zero deaths from breast cancer, the most commonly diagnosed life-threating cancer facing Australian women.
Walk With Us is a partnership between Australia’s largest not-for-profit health insurer, HCF and the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF), helping to raise much needed funds for breast cancer research. For every person who joins Team HCF for Walk With Us at Mother’s Day Classic, HCF will donate $100 and $10 for every selfie tagged #walkwithus* to NBCF.
One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their life time and eight women lose their battle every day.1 That’s why research to find a cure is vital. Every journey starts with a single step and research to prevent deaths from breast cancer is no different. This Mother’s Day all Australians can make a difference not only for mothers but for all women, one step and one kilometre at a time.
Former AFL star and Sydney Swans legend Jude Bolton may have stopped kicking goals a few years ago, but by getting involved with Walk With Us he plans to help score the ultimate win for breast cancer research.
“Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers Australian women and their families face so it’s important for us to do what we can to make a difference. Having two young daughters – Siarra and Piper (four years and 18 months) – I’d like to see a cure for breast cancer discovered in their lifetime,” says Jude.
“While research is the best way to prevent deaths from this devastating disease, early detection is also key to increasing survival so I encourage all women to stay vigilant with self-examinations and mammograms,” Lynette added.
However, even though it’s all for a good cause there’s still some healthy competition between husband and wife, with each vying to be first to the finish line. “There’s nothing wrong with some competition so I’m intending to give Jude a run for his money. I’ve been training hard so don’t bet on him being first!” concludes Lynette.
Even though the Bolton’s are used to competing against each other, they won’t be sharing the field; Jude will be leading a team in Melbourne, while Lynette will lead a team in Sydney. Mother’s Day Classic is the largest community fun run in Australia and will be held in 11 metro cities and 94 regional towns nationally, attracting over 130,000 participants.
Register for Team HCF and Walk With Us at www.hcf.com.au/walkwithus
- Eat well and fuel up: Make sure you have a nutritious dinner the night before and breakfast the day of the event, so your body is fuelled and ready to go.
- Make sure you stay hydrated: Drinking water before, during and after the race will keep you hydrated. Avoid alcohol or excessive amounts of caffeine on race day and the day before.
- Stretch before and after the race: Stretching will reduce the muscle ache that everyone feels after a big race or a long walk. Stretching before helps you be ready for your walk or run and stretching after helps your muscles bounce back quickly.
- Get active: Incorporate some exercise into your day in the weeks leading up to the event. Try walking 20-30 minutes at a reasonably brisk pace several times a week and you’ll see a noticeable improvement. Give yourself a rest day in between exercise days.
- Think about how every step is for the future of breast cancer: You’ve started your contribution to finding the cure for breast cancer, and every step you take should be filled with pride. Enjoy the race and stay active.
The Bolton’s will be documenting the steps they’re taking towards a cure for breast cancer on social media using the hashtag #WalkWithUs. So what are you waiting for?Walk With Us to make a difference, 1 km or selfie at a time.