British department store group Marks & Spencer has teamed up with a team of
seven inspirational women to encourage female customers to remain active to
help prevent breast cancer as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Women who are active for at least 30 minutes a day cut their risk of
developing breast cancer by at least 20 percent, according to charity
Breast Cancer Now, which is why M&S is encouraging customers to show
support for Breast Cancer Now by becoming more physically active. The
campaign marks the second year running M&S has partnered with the charity
to help raise awareness for breast cancer.
In
addition to raising awareness for breast cancer, M&S will be donating 10
per cent of all its women’s wear fitness apparel and sports bra sales to
the charity. To help showcase M&S’s activewear, the high street retailer
has teamed up with 7 women – Amanda Jones (74), Fiona Coaton (30), Lindsay
Partridge (52), Miranda Ashitey (34), Sarah Falola (44), Sera Bains (45)
and Mandie Stevenson (26) – all of whom have been affected by breast
cancer.
The 7 women will also be sharing short videos via social media to further
encourage the public to move together with M&S and take on a 7 Day
Challenge, a pledge to be active for 30 minutes a day. “We want women to
know how important it is to get active. Studies show that just 30 minutes
of activity per day can help reduce your risk of getting breast cancer by
at least 20 per cent,” said Eluned Hughes of Breast Cancer Now.
“This can be something as simple as walking to work, gardening or taking
the family out for a bike ride. Any activity that makes you warmer, breathe
harder and makes your heart beat faster counts.” M&S, Breast Cancer Now and
Strictly Come Dancing 2006 winner Karen Hardy will kick start the campaign
today with ‘Move it in the Park’ a free, one-off dance fitness class in
Hyde Park.
Together M&S and Breast Cancer Now aim to raise 13 million pounds over the
next five years to help prevent the 9,000 cases of breast cancer registered
each year
,
by 2
025.
Photos:M&S and Breast Cancer Now campaign