80 members of the Chesterfield & Worksop NASSKC Karate and Kick Boxing Club have given special demonstrations of martial arts at the Chesterfield Market Hall and the Crown Place Community Centre at Worksop. It was a break from their normal lessons with coach Dave Cartawick, as the groups handed over a cheque for more than £6,000 to the Weston Park Hospital Cancer Appeal.
The money was raised through a series of sponsored events which saw club members ranging from the ages of 4 to 45 do 23,000 press ups: 27,500 sit-ups and 255,508 side kicks. “We wanted to do something sponsored which everyone from the youngest to the oldest could take part in, “says Dave Cartawick. “They have achieved a tremendous amount even the smaller ones got so involved they just kept going and going. It’s good discipline and it has raised a huge amount for such a good cause.”
The group decided to hold the event after member Dave Shardlow, from Hasland was treated for prostate cancer. At only 42 Dave is relatively young to be diagnosed with the disease. Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men but usually hits those over 50. “He might not have been diagnosed at all if the vet hadn’t said his dog had prostate trouble and it was just something that happened to a lot of men. Dave realised that he wanted to pee a bit more often than usual and went for a test,” says Dave Cartawick. “He was lucky really.”
Dave Shardlow was on hand to help presenting a cheque for £6,132 to Rachel Thorpe, Senior fundraiser at Weston Park Hospital Cancer Appeal.
“This is a tremendous achievement,” say Rachel. “It’s so good to see so many youngsters high kicking away and keeping fit. They are really helping in the fight against men’s cancer. Weston Park Hospital has a large and active programme of research; it is a major contributor to a number important world studies into prostate cancer. Donations like this enable Weston Park Hospital to keep at the leading edge of cancer care.”
