Walk All Over Cancer is a fundraising activity and challenge that occurs every March to help the charity of  Cancer Research UK.

Every year in March, the challenge encourages people to take 10,000 steps every day for a whole month and raise money for the life-saving research.

Our General Manager Steve Bowler has been an active member of the Fundraiser for some time as it is a cause close to his heart. We spoke to Steve to know a little more about the charity, the challenge and how you can help!

Steve during his daily walks in the Business Park

Tell us a little about the initiative.

Walk all over Cancer is a challenge set by Cancer Research UK to raise much needed funding for Cancer Research.

Why is it close to your heart?

I lost both my Father and my Cousin to Cancer in 2009 within 6 months of each other, my Father a week before his 70th birthday and my cousin a week before her 43rd birthday. Currently I have friends who are  battling Cancer, and any support I can give by way of fund raising seems like such a small offering but I know that every penny goes towards researching a cure for Cancer.

How long have you been associated with the cause and what have you done to help fundraise

I initially went to the Relay for Life in aid of Cancer Research after my father passed in July 2009 and my cousin was actually attending as her eldest was on the committee for the event. The Relay for Life is a Team walking event, where you walk for 24 hours around an Athletic Track with someone from your team walking for the duration, raising funds for Cancer Research UK. After losing my Cousin later that year I then put in a team myself for 2010 and continued to attend for the next 8 years until COVID struck, raising over 10k for the Charity. The Walk all over Cancer is my 1st fund raising since COVID struck.

How do you balance managing work and fundraising?

I am managing to do laps of the business park during the day and walking any additional around the fields near my home in the evening. Weekends are far easier . I didn’t actually think that walking 10000 steps a day would be too difficult, but life does get in the way sometimes and I have been astonished at how much I have had to focus on achieving this on a daily basis.

Where do you like to walk to? Any Favourite places?

Steps Tracker

The Business Park has become a regular, I honestly think I have worn a small groove around the perimeter . I also walk a lot around the countryside near my home and have been to the Lake District and will be going to my favourite place in England, Rutland Water, this coming weekend.

How long does it take roughly to complete those 10,000 steps? And How do you keep a track of it? 

I track my steps using my Samsung Smart Watch and the App on my phone. 10000 Steps is roughly 5 miles and would take 90 minutes to 2 hours of continuous walking to achieve at a 4mph pace, but  I am doing it in bitesize pieces at present.

What is your advice to people out there if they are thinking about taking up a challenge for charity? 

Be committed. I have taken on many challenges over my time and the biggest advice is that you do need to be focused on your goal and, if a daily challenge, try to get as far along as possible as early as possible to stop yourself trying to chase a target later in the day.

We wish Good Luck to Steve . May you complete the challenge!

 

If you would like to take part in the challenge, you can click HERE to know how to sign up .

OR

If you would like to donate instead, Click HERE.