Fitness festival will raise cash for diabetes charity
Fun afternoon aimed at families
A Wishaw mum is calling on the town’s fitness fanatics to pack out a keep fit festival with a difference later this month.
Karen Turner, from Coltness, along with Zumba instructor Lynsey McCallum, kick- boxing coach Lisa Smith and piloxing trainer Lyn Spence, are hosting a fitness festival at Rivals Gym in Wishaw later this month.
The family afternoon will see a range of fitness classes for all the family plus other activities.
All the cash raised from the fundraiser will go towards the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
The charity is one that’s close to Karen’s heart as nine- year- old daughter Kirsten was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes last year.
Karen said: “Kirsten was eight when she was diagnosed and she takes it in all in her stride.
“She realises that she has to watch what she is doing but she takes her own blood sugar and injects her insulin.
“She is very open about her diabetes and she still enjoys doing all of the same activities she used to before she was diagnosed such as swimming and dancing.”
Unlike Type 2 diabetes, which is primarily caused as a result of obesity and not enough exercise, the cause of Type 1 is unknown.
Type 1 makes up an estimated five to 10 per cent of all diabetes cases. The number of people affected globally is unknown, although it is estimated that about 80,000 children develop the disease each year.
Karen and her friends will also be taking part in a family walk for the charity at Strathclyde Park in September.
She added: “Lynsey’s Zumba class do fundraising events every year so we always do try to raise money.
“Some of the instructors couldn’t make the walk at Strathclyde Park so that’s when the idea for the fitness festival started.
“There will be lots of activities for everyone to enjoy.”
The JRDF fitness festival will take place at Rivals Gym in Wishaw on Saturday, August 27, at 1.30pm.
Tickets cost £5 for adults and are available from all class instructors or by emailing jrdffestivaloffitness@gmail.com.
Lynsey’s Zumba class do fundraising events every year Karen Turner