Bouncing to beat cancer

By Richard Gurner

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Jakkie Talmage takes participants through the aerobics session

Fed up with keeping fit? Tired of the treadmill? Then follow the example of this lot.

About a dozen people hopped on to the 1970s toy to take part in what is thought to be the world’s first Space Hopper aerobics class to help raise awareness of testicular cancer.

They spent 45 minutes bouncing to music under the guidance of a fitness instructor at the Phoenix Gallery in Waterloo Place, Brighton.

The event was the latest in a long line of stunts to help promote the Bounce Your Balls campaign, which urges men to check regularly for any signs of testicular cancer.

Bounce Your Balls was started two years ago by 38-year-old Glen Poole from Burgess Hill with a Space Hopper race.

Last year IT consultant Andy Carr, from Burgess Hill, threw himself out of a hot air balloon while sitting on a Space Hopper for the campaign and also managed to raise £1,000 for the Orchid Cancer Appeal.

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That was followed in May last year by Space Hoppers descending on Hove Lawns for a world record attempt at the number of people bouncing simultaneously.

While the event did not break the record, scores of people did turn up despite the bad weather.

Other stunts include the building of a giant pyramid out of 300 space hoppers during last year’s Brighton Festival.

The campaign uses the stunts to help raise much-needed money for the Teenage Cancer Trust, the Bob Champion Trust, the Orchid Cancer Appeal, Everyman and the Men’s Health Forum.

The campaign is also aiming to raise £1 million for the charities during the next three years and is hoping to get the Space Hopper aerobics classes introduced to leisure centres and gyms across the country. Mr Poole said: “It’s a great way to raise awareness of testicular cancer and remind men to bounce their balls for cancer on a regular basis.

“We want to get the message out there that men should be checking themselves on a regular basis and, if they find a problem, getting to a doctor.

“Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men aged 18 to 30 but is curable 99% of the time if diagnosed early. Making young men aware they need to bounce their balls regularly and check for cancer will save lives.”

Bounce Your Balls is currently looking for teams for its next event, a hopathon, which is to take place during the Sussex Triathlon at Ardingly next month.

For more information about the campaign, visit www.bounceyourballs.com or call Mr Poole on 07981 334222.

7:35pm today

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http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/generalnews/display.var.2276583.0.bouncing_to_beat_cancer.php

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April 17, 2008

bouncy balls

A few of us went along to the Food and Drink Expo at Birmingham NEC last week to meet some of our customers and have a chat about what we’ve been up to recently.It wasn’t all work talk though. Bounce your Balls For Cancer were also at the show, raising awareness of testicular cancer through their Non Stop Space Hop. Charlie, Dan, Kate, Colin and Carla spent a good 30 minutes of hardcore bouncing around for charity before getting sore bottoms and going back to the stand to do some work.

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We’ve been bouncing our Balls for Testicular Cancer!

 April 10 2008   Feel Good Things   No Comments »

 The Feel Good team went hopping mad this week when we joined forces with ‘Bounce your balls for Cancer’, a charity dedicated to raising awareness of testicular cancer, at the Food & Drink Expo in Birmingham.The charity planned to set a new world record for the longest Non-Stop Space hop, as part of their campaign to make the space hopper synonymous with testicular cancer and Becky, Sarah, Emma, Lyndsey, Jay and Marc jumped at the chance to do their bit!The team took the hoppers by the horns and took turns to bounce away on the space hoppers.  I think everyone felt a little silly at first but within minutes the competitive streaks shone through as we strived to bounce higher than everyone else. By the end of our slot we were giggling like children and walked away feeling happy that in bouncing our little hearts out we had contributed to such a worthy cause… if not a little unsteady on our feet!!!

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Pubs wanted for charity snack drive

3 April, 2008

By John Porter

Mini Meaty Munchies backing cancer charity

Bar snack ffinch’s Mini Meaty Munchies is looking for a UK pub group to feature limited edition charity salami snacks.

The search for a partner was announced at Publican Live. Konect Distribution, UK distributor of ffinch’s Mini Meaty Munchies, is backing a campaign that raises money for testicular cancer charities.

The company plans limited edition of promotional packs designed to raise money for Bounce Your Balls For Cancer, a campaign to raises awareness of testicular cancer by getting people to do daft things on Space Hoppers.

It hopes a pub or bar chain will exclusively promote the special charity packs of Mini Meaty Munchies. In addition to the special promotional packs, one penny from every standard pack will also be donated to some of the national charities that support the campaign which include Orchid Cancer Appeal, Everyman and The Bob Champion Trust.

Marcus Mitchell, managing director of Konect Distribution said: ““Bounce Your Balls For Cancer is such a fantastic campaign that we want to do everything we can to make it a big success. At the same time we want to establish Mini Meaty Munchies as a healthy man’s snack that the ordinary bloke down your local boozer will love to nibble on.”

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Tags: , Bounce Your Balls, Bounce Your Balls For Cancer, Mini Meaty Munchies, Space Hopper, testicular cancer

Rugby star ‘Tackles It’ with Everards

18 April, 2008

By Matt Eley

Brewer backing prostate cancer awareness campaign

Leicester Tigers rugby player Dan Hipkiss has joined a campaign to take on testicular cancer.

He lent his support to the Tackle It campaign with licensee Baz Desai at Everards pub the Marquis of Wellington and campaign organiser Francesca Gamble

Everards is backing the campaign by putting up posters in every pub in its estate.

On Thursday May 8 sports stars from the East Midlands will be taking part in a charity fashion show to raise money for testicular cancer. Among those taking part will be Leicester Tigers players Ollie Smith, Sam Vesty and Harry Ellis, and international cricketers Stuart Broad and Paul Nixon.

For more information visit www.tackleit.org.

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Aiming To Make Men More Aware Of How This Killer Can Be Avoided

Apr 4 2008

Testicular cancer is the most common form of cancer in young men. It has risen drastically since the 1970s and is sadly continuing to do so (around 2000 cases are now diagnosed in the UK each year).

The good news is that more than 95 per cent of patients are successfully treated and mortality rates are very low.

What is more worrying, however, is that many men are unaware of testicular cancer or choose to ignore it altogether.

Surveys suggest only five per cent of men perform regular self-examinations. This means that in one-third of cases the cancer has already spread by the time of diagnosis, making treatment processes unnecessarily complicated.

In light of this, Round Table, one of the UK’s largest young men’s associations, is working in partnership with one of the country’s most respected male cancer charities, Orchid, to launch ‘Have you got the balls to be a Round Tabler?’ — a testicular cancer awareness campaign supported by medical professionals from within Round Table.

Tragically some of Round Table’s members have succumbed to this cancer, while others have made a full recovery and have even gone onto father children.

With this in mind, the organisation is particularly keen to raise awareness of the issue amongst not only its own members but to the thousands of young men throughout the UK.

Uniquely, Round Table members fit the exact demographic of those most commonly affected by the cancer: young men, aged 18-45.

For more information on the facts surrounding testicular cancer see the Round Table website www.roundtable.org.uk or contact Orchid, based at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, by calling 020 7601 7167 or see www.orchid-cancer.org.uk

Peter Manley, national president-elect Round Table, and Angus Somerville, chief executive Orchid.

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Charity night in memory of Mark

Apr 30 2008 by Steve Bagnall, Daily Post

A CHARITY fundraising night will raise cash in memory of a 23-year-old who died of testicular cancer.

Mark Jones, of Y Wern, Wrexham, died in June 2006 after a three-year fight against the disease.

The charity night, on June 20, features an auction, live music with Open Invitation and a DJ at the Centenary club, Mold Road, Wrexham.

Lots under the hammer include signed, framed photographs of the Wales rugby Grand Slam 2008 winners and the Everton FC squad.

There will also be three Manchester United autographs on a pennant, and items donated by local hairdressers and beauticians.

The Mark Jones Testicular Cancer Awareness Fund, also known as Balls 2 Cancer, was set up by Mark’s mother Julie Jones.

She said: “We wish to appeal to anyone for any contribution they feel they can make towards this night.”

Anyone wishing to donate can contact the organisers through the website www.balls2cancer.co.uk, or on 07746544662 or 01978 313551.

Tickets go on sale from May 1, costing £12.

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Tags: balls 2 cancer testicular bounce your balls

1300-1345 Tuesday 13 May 2008Spacehopper Aerobics

www.thecriticalincident.comJoin us for this lunchtime session with all proceeds going to Bounce Your Balls For Cancer (the campaign that raises awareness of testicular cancer by getting people to do daft things on Space Hoppers!). Wacky, different, heartfull and enjoyable!Trainers, educators and workshop leaders might also be interested in this session as an example of a different workshop or session energiser as well as a community activity.Suggested donation £3 or up!When: 1300-1345Venue: The Red Room, Phoenix Gallery Length: 45 minutesCost: £5FREE to Critical Incident Ticket holders(If there is strong demand we will set up extra sessions)Places limited to 15 so book earlyLed by: Bounce Your Balls,

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Food & Drink exhibitors bounce into record books  Rival food and drink brands came together to set a bizarre world record at last week’s Food & Drink Expo at the NEC, Birmingham. Companies such as innocent drinks, Feelgood Drinks and Firefly Tonics Exhibitors joined forces to keep a Space Hopper bouncing non-stop for a record time of six hours and fifty minutes.   The non-stop Space Hop marked the launch a new national campaign that invites people to raise awareness of testicular cancer by doing daft things on Space Hoppers. Called “Bounce Your Balls For Cancer”, its aim is to encourage men to bounce their own balls for cancer (ie check their testicles) and to raise £1 million pounds for charity over the next three years.  Other companies that took part in the record breaking bounce included Shepley Spring, Mr Huda’s Surma Secrets, Burnt Sugar, Buzz Sweets, Natural Balance Foods and Montezuma’s Chocolates who produce a Space Hopper chocolate bar.  Marcus Mitchell, Managing Director of Mini Meaty Munchies, a new salami snack that sponsored the launch of Bounce Your Balls For Cancer, said: “This was a fantastic way for the industry to come together and make a positive contribution to a great cause. You didn’t have to be hopping mad to take part, but it helped.” Glen Poole, founder of the Bounce Your Balls campaign said: “It was great to see so many cool companies grabbing the hopper by the horns and helping us to set a new record. We hope this event marks beginning of a long and successful relationship with the food and drink industry for Bounce Your Balls For Cancer To find our more about Bounce Your Balls For Cancer and make a donation to the cause visit www.bounceyourballs.com Photos of then bounce can be downloaded for use by the media at www.flickr.com/photos/dennishopper

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