"Stand up to cancer for Brett": Leighton Buzzard mum launches new fundraiser

Nicola Kinloch, 37, is lending her backing to the Sweat Every Day in November Challenge, in aid of the joint fundraising campaign from Cancer Research UK and Channel 4.

The mum-of-three featured in a Stand Up To Cancer film in 2019, after husband Brett passed away just hours after Nicola gave birth to their third child.

Since then, she’s been on a mission to support his wish to help raise vital awareness and funds, including taking on the London Marathon earlier this year.

Now the PE teacher is channelling her energy into encouraging gym goers and sofa surfers alike to work-out for the worthy cause.

The campaign’s latest initiative is urging people across the county to help power breakthroughs in cancer research - with their sweat.

From burpees, squats and lunges to curls, press-ups and sprints – anything goes. All people need to do is complete 30 minutes of exercise every day during November.

Every rep completed and every pound raised will help drive more progress. And everyone who signs up to flex their fundraising muscles receives a free resistance band and Stand Up To Cancer sports t-shirt.

Supporters can also choose to donate or raise money in their own way, with a free guide available online.

In the East of England, around 37,400 people are diagnosed with cancer every year.* Stand Up To Cancer takes developments from the lab and accelerates them into new tests and treatments that could help make a real difference to more families like Nicola’s.

She said: “Brett had a bucket list when he was going through treatment – on that, he wrote that we should give back to a cause we believe in, and that’s why we support Stand Up To Cancer as a whole family. Everyone knows someone affected by cancer and if people can support in any way, then they should.

“As a PE teacher, I think the Sweat Every Day in November Challenge is a great way to get involved. I did the marathon this year to raise money, and it felt special wearing the Stand Up To Cancer t-shirt. However hard it was doing the training and on the day itself, it was nothing compared to what Brett went through. That kept me going and it’s brilliant that the research supported will help other families in the future.”

Thanks to the generosity of supporters like Nicola, Stand Up To Cancer is proving the positive benefits of exercise in more ways than one.

The campaign helped to fund the UK arm of a game-changing international study, which revealed earlier this year that supporting people to do regular structured exercise could cut the risk of death for those recovering from colon cancer by over a third (37%). Researchers now hope the findings will transform global cancer care to help prevent the disease from coming back and boost people’s chances of survival.**

Since Stand Up To Cancer launched in the UK in 2012 more than £113 million has been raised, funding 73 clinical trials and research projects involving more than 13,000 cancer patients.

Cancer Research UK spokesperson for the East of England, Patrick Keely, said: “We’re grateful to Nicola for her support. We’re making incredible progress, but stories like Brett’s underline why we must go further and faster. Almost one in two of us will get cancer in our lifetime.*** All of us can help beat it. If we all make a stand, we can help speed up more advances – meaning more people live longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer.

“That’s why we’re asking everyone to switch off the snooze button, put the excuses on mute and commit to 30 minutes of exercise for 30 days with our fundraising challenge this November. Whether they reach for their kettlebells, boxing gloves, yoga mat or trusty pair of running trainers, we hope as many people as possible will take part and get a sweat on. Every drop will help fuel more life-saving discoveries. Now is the time to Stand Up To Cancer.”

Get involved at su2c.org.uk/exercisechallenge