Instead of an athlete profile this week I wanted to make a different kind of blog post. The word community is thrown around a lot in the CrossFit world. In fact, we believe it is what sets us apart from the globo gym and many other fitness centers. We are a group of fitness enthusiasts, of course, but we are also a group of people who are much more than that. Our occupations run the gamut, our taste in music certainly runs the gamut as well, but we all come together to support each other and each others’ interests. Whether this means a few people getting together for dinner, helping then move, attending a sporting event or helping raise awareness for a cause. It is this last thing that brings me to why I am making this blog post. People coming together to help raise awareness for a cause. How far would you go? Run a marathon, dump a freezing cold bucket of ice water on your head, maybe even shave your head? Well, we have members at CrossFit Sting doing all those things right now! Maybe some of you have heard of the St. Balderick’s Foundation. People shave their heads to raise money for cancer. Would you do it? I have attended this event and what I have seen is mostly men shaving their heads. Well we have not one, but two of our members that will be shaving their heads on September 14. Not for St. Balderick’s but in support of their niece, Meg, who is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatments for cancer and has already lost all her hair. I think they are up to 5 or 6 people shaving their heads for Meg but only ONE female. Here are our members, Martin and Arpana, that I am speaking about. Great looking couple, huh?
Martin and Arpana are really selfless people, they own a local business (Dutch Monkey Doughnuts) and have both run marathons, biked long distances and constantly raise money throughout the year as part of Team Dutch Monkey, raising awareness and money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. However, this is a new kind of personal sacrifice in the name of cancer. Now, I love Martin but I do believe his hair will grow back pretty fast. Arpana on the other hand, has beautiful long thick hair that she will be shaving. First, she will be donating her locks to the Pantene Beautiful Lengths which makes real hair wigs for women battling cancer. Then, she will be shaving her head with Martin and some other family members for Meg. Here is Martin with his niece pictured below.
This is such a selfless act and I am not trying to taking away from the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, but let’s be real. How many women are willing to shave their long, beautiful hair? Would you? I would like to see as many of us as possible support this family in their fight against cancer. Many of our members have already made very generous donations but I think we can do better. The family has already had other members battling this terrible disease. In fact, Martin’s sister, Meg’s mother did not win her battle. Let’s do this in her memory and in the fight that Meg is now fighting. Here is the link to the BIG SHAVING EVENT! Arpana has called this Bald in the New Black. You can read more about their event as well as donate to their pages using these links – Bald is the New Black. and Martin is Going Bald. Go Arpana and Martin, your CrossFit Sting community/family will be there on the big day to support you.