The Cancer Event to Remember

What: The Cancer Event to Remember is a virtual exercise challenge that encourages us to exercise while honoring cancer survivors and memorializes our loved ones who are no longer with us. The organizers would like to commemorate Hanna Geisler, our colleague who was to become a Cancer Exercise Trainers at EAMC.  We lost a huge cancer patient advocate when Hanna was take from us last summer.

Fundraising: 100% of the funds raised for this event will go directly to the The Robert and Marjorie Goodson Oncology Wellness Program at the EAH Spencer Cancer Center. This program provides exercise training and massage therapy to patients who undergo treatment at the Spencer Cancer Center. The program provides comfort and improved health outcomes to our patient population.

How The Challenge Works: Determine how many minutes you will commit to exercising in the month of October. There are 4 challenge options: 600 minutes of cardiovascular exercise, 400 minutes of strength training, 400 minutes of flexibility training, and 1000 minutes of combined exercise (cardiovascular exercise, strength training, and flexibility training). The goal is to spend your time exercising honoring and remembering loved ones who have been effected by a cancer diagnosis. You will be able to log your exercise minutes directly with RunSignUp after you register.

Why a Challenge: 2020 was our first virtual event as we shifted gears due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We want to encourage people to move more, sit less, and to make your health a priority. Challenge minutes were chosen for two reasons. Help people reach the guidelines for being physically active through exercise and to bring awareness about the benefits of exercise as it relates to Cancer. Adults should do at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity ideally spread throughout the week. Adults should also do muscle-strengthening activities involving all major muscle groups 2 or more days a week. Flexibility activities is often forgotten in an exercise regiment but is a very important part of physical fitness. Flexibility exercises increase the movement for a joint to move through the full range of motion. For more information on being physically active and exercise see: https://health.gov/our-work/physical-activity

Cancer and Exercise: 150-300 minutes per week of moderate or 75-150 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic exercise can help prevent 7 types of common cancers; bladder, breast, colon, endometrial, esophageal, kidney and stomach cancers. More physical activity through exercise can help in the survival of 3 common cancers; breast, colon and prostate cancers (exact dose of physical activity is not yet known). There is also strong evidence that exercise positively effects cancer-related fatigue, quality of life, physical function, anxiety, depression, and lymphedema. For more information on the effects of exercise on health-related outcomes in those with cancer head to: http://bit.ly/cancer_exercise_guidelines

Facebook Group & Live Exercise Classes: We have created a Facebook group (check out "The Cancer Event to Remember" or click this link  https://www.facebook.com/groups/2934036153373240/) where you can post your updates and express who you honored with your exercise minutes each day! As an added bonus, we will be offering Facebook Live classes (schedule below) on this group page for anyone who would like to participate. Each day, we will have different honorees posted on the Facebook group and mentioned in the exercise classes!

The Goodies: Swag cotton market tote.

Donations: We are also accepting donations beyond the exercise registration. For donations of $50+, we will add your honoree's name to the swag item. However, you must be registered with your minimum $50 donation paid no later than October 31st.  

*If you would like to make a donation without registering to exercise you can do so by clicking the "donate" button at the top of the page. When donating, select "in honor/memory of" then select "other" and input the honoree's name that you would like to have on the swag.

Swag Pick Up: Since we will be collecting donations for the entire month of October we will wait to get swag printed at the end of the month. Pick up will be at the Spencer Cancer Center at the radiation entrance (lower parking lot) on November 12th from 3-6 pm. We will mail packets to those who select the shipping option. Please be advised, we will mail the packet to the address submitted on the Run Sign Up page, unless notified otherwise.

Multi-Race Bundle: We have partnered this year with the Auburn-Opelika Running and Track Association (AORTA) Tough 10/2 race on October 23, 2021. This local race also raises money for The Spencer Cancer Center in honor of a Nick Holler, a dedicated runner and community leader. Both organizations feel passionately about promoting health and wellness in our local community. As an incentive to sign up for both The Cancer Event to Remember Challenge and the Tough 10 / 2 race, every participant will receive a $5 discount to each event when signing up for the multi-race bundle. To participant in both events in the multi-race bundle choose one event from AORTA's Tough 10/2 and one event from The Cancer Event to Remember. Options for the AORTA Tough 10/2 include a 10-mile run or 2-mile run on October 23, 2021. Options for The Cancer Event to Remember include a 400-minute flexibility challenge, 400-minute strength challenge, 600-minute cardiovascular challenge, and a 1000-minute exercise challenge for the entire month of October.