“How to Make The Most Of Breast Cancer Awareness Month In Your Affiliate and Beyond: An Interview With Lindsey Marcelli Founder of Compete For A Cure”

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. 

While it’s easy to get lost in the sea of pink and the seemingly endless fundraisers and awareness campaigns that the month brings, whether you are an affiliate owner, coach, or athlete, there are many ways to make meaningful contributions to the breast cancer community in the month of October and beyond.

One big thing: This week, we sat down with Girls Gone Rx and Compete for a Cure founder, Lindsey Marcelli, to ask her some questions about how those in the CrossFit community can help to fundraise and bring awareness for breast cancer during the month.

What is your biggest piece of advice for box owners looking to host a breast cancer fundraiser?

• Marcelli: “Plan and prepare and try to get volunteers within your community. Consider fitness-related events like our benchmark workout, a run/walk, or a competition, as these align with your box’s community. Make it memorable for all participating and incorporate breast cancer into the event; whether that is highlighting members who are survivors, their family members, wearing pink, etc.”

How can box owners continue to support the breast cancer community beyond their individual events, throughout the month of October and beyond?

• “Breast Cancer Awareness should be year-long, not just in October. Encourage your coaches to take our Free Breast Cancer Basics course, connect with your local Breast Health Center or Oncology Center, and continuously seek feedback from your community to understand their needs and preferences regarding breast cancer support and awareness initiatives,” Marcelli replied.

How can coaches continue to support breast cancer survivors beyond their affiliate’s event?

• “So many ways! Our best advice is to meet the survivors where they are at, find out what they need and want, that will best support them. Take the free course we have, provide individual programming needs, and check in regularly with them. Facilitate a support group within your community, and continue to ensure they thrive.” 
• Marcelli: “Coaches who provide ongoing support to breast cancer survivors can make a significant impact on their physical and emotional recovery, helping them lead healthier and more fulfilling lives beyond the initial event.”

You have a few event ideas on your website. What is your personal favorite?

• “We love a community event that brings everyone together, so a workout with a barbecue is our favorite. We strive to ‘sweat for something more than yourself’ so seeing the fitness community do just that, while supporting our mission, has been beyond incredible and empowering to survivors around the world.”

Getting started this October: If affiliate owners or coaches are interested in hosting their own breast cancer awareness event or fundraiser, a great place to start is the Compete For A Cure website.

• Their website can help you to set up your fundraiser, as well as order custom gym apparel for the event.
• Compete For A Cure’s mission is: “To fund breast cancer survivors’ and thrivers’ wellness within local communities and provide breast health education for coaches, trainers, and athletes.” 
• This means that your efforts in fundraising via your affiliate go to help breast cancer survivors in the CrossFit community and beyond.

Beyond October: While October might be Breast Cancer Awareness month, supporting survivors can be a year-round effort.

• Affiliate owners and survivors can apply for the Compete For A Cure Fund, which provides “funds to thrive after diagnosis.”
• Survivors can utilize the funds for health and wellness; gym memberships, nutrition coaching, mental health coaching, etc. and affiliate owners can apply for funds to help breast cancer survivors in their community.
• Compete For A Cure also recently partnered with Health Steps Nutrition to provide a nutrition scholarship.
• Anyone can also volunteer with the organization.

The big picture: The CrossFit community is such a powerful space to make a difference and Compete For A Cure is a great way to tap into that.

• “We are doing all we can right now to make a proactive approach that allows a significant contribution to the cause and raises awareness effectively,” said founder Lindsey Marcelli.
• “We want to extend our reach, engage the community, encourage action, and create meaningful connections within the community,” she continued.

“In our inaugural year as a nonprofit, we have surpassed our own expectations, and this remarkable achievement is solely thanks to the unwavering support of our incredible community,” Marcelli concluded.