When Ashley Mathewson started the Fit Collective Studio, the goal was to help people transform themselves through healthy living, fitness and community.
So, it was only natural that the philosophy would extend to helping the community beyond the business's home at 1777 Turner Rd. in Thorold. That’s where the Fit Collective Foundation – founded by Mathewson and St. Catharines financial planner Paul Scheib, comes in. Since its inception, in its first eight years, the foundation has raised money for such endeavours as the Special Olympics, but more recently proceeds from events like the upcoming Fitstock 24-Hour Relay for Cancer have been going to the Walker Family Cancer Centre at the Marotta Family Hospital in St. Catharines.
“My grandfather passed away from cancer almost four years ago,” Mathewson said. “And then one of our close friends, our neighbour who lives right across the street, her husband, died very, very quick and tragically from liver cancer.”
Another neighbour was recently diagnosed, at age 33, with an aggressive form of breast cancer.
“It's very prevalent in our lives,” Mathewson said.
Proceeds this year, are being directed specifically to the Breast Cancer Research Centre at the Niagara Health site.
This year’s event takes place over the 24-hour period starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28. Participants are being invited to walk or run for that period – excluding mealtimes and a two-hour break for dinner. That time will also include guest speakers who will talk about their experiences with cancer, Mathewson said.
The event caught the attention of Mark Kawabe, chief instructor for the Niagara Kendo Club, who heard about the event through Schieb and he immediately knew he wanted to take part.
Kawabe will be bringing a team of up to six people to take part, after originally planning to tackle the endurance event on his own.
“I said, you know, this a 24-hour thing, sounds like kind of fun. It’s for a very good cause,” said Kawabe. “I said, and I'll do it in my kendo armor, if the weather is conducive.”
The fact that Fitstock was raising money for the cancer centre was a big part of the draw for Kawabe.
“Everybody pretty much has a cancer connection these days,” he said. “For me, my grandfather, my grandfather's brother, my father and all his siblings all died from – or with – cancer.”
On top of that, there is a member of the kendo club that is currently fighting cancer, Kawabe said.
“So, everyone's touched by it,” he said. “So, we just figured this is a good thing to get involved in.”
Kendo is a Japanese martial art – Kawabe calls it the Japanese equivalent to fencing – that like other martial arts, is meant to promote discipline and self-respect along with respect for others.
“It's a lot of fun. I've been doing it since I was a teenager,” he said.
Mathewson, meanwhile, said teams of up to six people are welcome to take part. Not everyone has to be moving at the same time, however.
“You must have two people moving at all times,” she said. “You can have more than two people moving, but you must have no less than two people moving at all times on your team for the full 24 hours.”
That means teams will need to come up with a strategy to keep themselves going for the duration of the event, Mathewson said.
There will be several routes for participants to walk or run varying in length between one and five kilometres.
“Because the teams are going to be made up of a variety of people, some maybe can only walk one kilometer at a time. They can't go the full 5K and that's OK.”
On Day 1, participants will be treated to a charcuterie brunch courtesy of Cheese Please and a barbecue dinner being supplied by the Walker Family Cancer Centre. On Day 2, participants will be treated to a buffet breakfast at the Early Bird Restaurant.
Last year’s event raised close to $50,000, Mathewson said, adding they hope to raise that much again this year.
Anyone who wishes to sign up for the event or who wants to donate, can do so here.
