Gymgoers to ‘hang’ for diabetes charity

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By Carlena Knight

In keeping with the observation of World Diabetes Day on November 14, one local gym is hoping to give back and bring awareness to the disease in a creative way.

The newly opened Twist Gym is gearing up to host the ‘Hang for Health’ charity fundraiser – which will see participants hang from apparatus in a show of endurance – in commemoration of the day. All the funds raised will go to the Antigua and Barbuda Diabetes Association.

 “The owners of Twist Mall are opening the Twist Gym next week and they insisted that when they started, they wanted to do something for the benefit of the community, something for charity,” one of the organisers of the event, Rory Butler said.

“So, on World Diabetes Day, it was decided that they would host a competition for the 100 percent benefit of the Antigua and Barbuda Diabetes Association.

“They are doing some great work in Antigua and Barbuda and they need some assistance and so we have come up with the Hang for Health Charity Challenge and for the purpose of this challenge what we are going to be doing is hanging for health; it is literally hanging for health,” Butler explained.

The winner of the event will receive a $750 gift certificate which can be used either at the Twist Gym or bar, while second placed will earn $300.

Leslie Emmanuel, one of the owners of the gym, explained what was the reason behind creating this challenge.

“One of the things I have always heard people talking about is that diabetes is reversible and if you say it is reversible, then it is preventable.

“So coming to the gym, exercising and developing a healthy lifestyle, which includes the gym, is something that can prevent diabetes. The idea was very great to partner with them and the collaboration is quite important so that we have both the gym being open and the awareness of diabetes in encouraging you to have a healthy lifestyle,” Emmanuel added.

The event will be held from 11am to 1pm at the gym, which is located on lower Redcliffe Street.

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