This month, 1630 kiwis have decided to GIVE IT UP for Gut Cancer and chosen to forego the sofa, booze or sugar to drive awareness and raise funds for kiwis living with a cancer of the digestive system.
Some of our participants have shared their stories with media, sharing their 'why' and motivations for taking part, like so many of our 'Give IT Upper's' they are taking part because they have lost someone or have a loved one currently going through a gut cancer. We are so grateful to these awesome people for sharing their personal stories, it helps us to spread awareness of the cause and helps us reach our fundraising target.
The more we can raise this March, the more we can invest in research and trials to helps diagnose, detect and treat cancers of the digestive system.
Here are links to stories shared by our participants.
Paulette & Julie Gotz spoke to the Bay of Plenty Times about giving it up together in memory of their friend.
Richard Yeo spoke to the Ashburton Guardian and Hokonui Radio about the family members he has lost to gut cancer
Nathan Mansell spoke to the New Zealand Herald about how his whānau have teamed up to raise funds for gut cancer after the diagnosis of their mum with pancreatic cancer
The New Zealand Herald also ran a piece on gut cancers and the inequities that exist for Māori
Jess Beswick spoke to the Bay of Plenty Times about the loss of her brother from stomach cancer and how she has given up sugar for the month in his memory
The team at Northern Arena, Silverdale got behind GIVE IT UP in a huge way, donating $2 for every person who attended a group fitness class from 13-19 March, raising $10,416. Here, Jo Archibald talks to More FM Rodney about why the team got involved.
A huge thank you again to everyone who has shared their story.