Fundraiser spotlight.
Meet Hollie and Joey.
Pushing physical bounds to push the limits of research.
Hollie and Joey working out
Joey, a personal trainer, and Hollie, a fitness enthusiast, from London enjoy pushing their fitness to the max. They regularly do everything from running and weight training to team sports such as football and netball. They’re also surrounded by so many other sporty people that anyone could be forgiven for thinking that fitness and good health is something we can all count on. Any notion of this was shattered when their healthy, outdoor-loving cousin and friend Amy was diagnosed, at just 20, with stage 4 incurable ALK-positive lung cancer. Instinctively, Joey and Hollie turned to their love of fitness, this time to fundraise to help push the limits of research.
Amy had this shocking diagnosis at such a young age, and we are inspired by how she carries on each day – working, travelling and still hiking and engaging in fitness.
Hollie with her cousin Amy, living with stage 4 ALK+ lung cancer
In early May, Hollie and Joey will be taking part in Hyrox London, a local arm of a global fitness competition for “Every Body” to help fundraise for more oncogene cancer research. In Hyrox, participants from all around the world compete in the exact same format across numerous fitness challenges including running 8 km, sled pulling and pushing, rowing, burpees and more, to push their limits on a global scale.
Joey and Hollie say, “Amy had this shocking diagnosis at such a young age, and we are inspired by how she carries on each day – working, travelling and still hiking and engaging in fitness. It’s thanks to research that Amy can live well, but we’re aware that these cancer medications will lose effectiveness in time. It’s why we need more research.”
He who has health, has hope; and he who has hope, has everything.
Hollie and Joey supporting research
They add, “As the Arabian proverb goes ‘He who has health, has hope; and he who has hope, has everything.’ Please help us bring more people like Amy not only more hope, but life-extending therapies.”
Money raised by Hollie and Joey will us fund the work of Professor Suzanne Turner of Cambridge University. Prof Turner looks after young children and people like Amy with ALK+ cancers and her lab is studying specific drug combinations to help overcome the drug resistance that develops with the current medications. Some preliminary research can be conducted with as little as just £15k!
Read more in Hollie and Joey’s fundraiser and please consider donating.
April/May 2024