Group keen to hold its own virtual fundraiser

The Pink Ladies. Pictured are (back, from left) Dee Hall, team captain Lucy Warren, (front) Nicki Swift, Relay for Life ambassador Natalie Yeoman, and Creina Beaman. PHOTO: BRENDA HARWOOD
The Pink Ladies. Pictured are (back, from left) Dee Hall, team captain Lucy Warren, (front) Nicki Swift, Relay for Life ambassador Natalie Yeoman, and Creina Beaman. PHOTO: BRENDA HARWOOD
With the Dunedin Relay for Life postponed until later in the year, the ‘‘Pink Ladies’’ team is keen to hold its own virtual event to raise funds for the Cancer Society.

The core of the 20-strong team are cancer survivors and members of the ExPinkT exercise programme, is based at the University of Otago School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences gym.

Pink Ladies team captain Lucy Warren said team members had been looking forward to their first Relay for Life, but with the postponement were now considering their options for fundraising.

‘‘It makes sense [to postpone], as it’s important to be mindful that many people’s immunity is compromised,’’ Miss Warren said.

‘‘We will definitely come up with some way to mark the event, but whether we can do it as a group, or not, is up in the air.’’

On Monday, team members Dee Hall, Nicki Swift, Relay for Life ambassador Natalie Yeoman, Creina Beaman, and Miss Warren sat down with The Star to discuss the value of the ExPinkT programme.

‘‘This programme is the silver lining to a cancer diagnosis — we have developed very special friendships here,’’ Mrs Yeoman said.

‘‘It has been great — we have supported each other, had a lot of laughs, and have kept each other active.’’

The Pink Ladies group had even trained for and completed the Queenstown half-marathon to raise funds for the ExPinkT programme.

Miss Warren said there were similar groups to the Pink Ladies throughout the ExPinkT programme, offering mutual support

‘‘In the ‘real’ world, you are an individual, but when you walk into the gym you can relax.

‘‘It’s a case of ‘welcome to the really cool group that you don’t want to be part of’,’’ she said.

The ExPinkT programme, which was developed by Dr Lynette Jones, celebrated its 10th anniversary last year, and operates six days a week.

A selected group of senior students worked with women and men who were in treatment for cancer, or had recently completed treatment. The exercisers could then go on to circuit training.

BRENDA.HARWOOD@thestar.co.nz 

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