Norwich: Race For Life Event Today

8 March 2014, 08:07 | Updated: 8 March 2014, 08:29

Women from all across Norfolk will be dancing in Norwich's city centre later, to try and get more people to sign up to this year's Race for Life.

They're gathering on the Hayhill in the city centre and will be swapping their usual fitness routine for a dance known as Race for Life’s ‘Cancer Slam’, raising money for Cancer Research UK.

The slam is designed to bring 'their indescribable power and emotion to life' and has also been created to show the passion and determination behind Race for Life’s rallying cry ‘Cancer, we’re coming to get you.’

Organisers say they hope the Cancer Slam will stop Norfolk shoppers in their tracks and motivate local mums, grans, daughters, sisters and friends to sign-up for Race for Life on the spot.

It will also be performed by thousands of women as part of the warm-up at over 280 Race for Life events around the UK this summer.  A video showing how to do the dance steps is available online so participants can practice ahead of their events.

Sarah-Jane, a Norwich Zumba instructor said: “We’re so excited about taking part in the Cancer Slam and we’ve had a great time learning the routine.  We hope we can inspire women to join in the fun and enter their local Race for Life event.

“Cancer touches so many of us, including members of our group. That’s why we want to do everything we can to motivate women to power up the pink and show cancer who’s boss.”

The Race for Life, in partnership with Tesco, is a women-only series of 5k and 10k events which raises millions of pounds every year to help beat cancer sooner.

Every day, 83 people are diagnosed with cancer in the East of England, and so they want women to join together and enter the 5k or 10k event at the Norfolk Showground, which is taking place on May 17th and 18th.

Gemma Turpin, Race for Life Norfolk events manager, said: “We’d like to thank the Sarah-Jane and the Norfolk ladies for taking part in Cancer Slam and showing us how it’s done!

“The Cancer Slam is a fun, defiant and energetic dance which epitomises the power and emotion of Race for Life and we urge women from across the region to get involved and unite in the fight against cancer.”

Although the number of people being diagnosed with cancer is going up - largely due to the fact that people are living longer and cancer is predominantly a disease of old age - the good news is that, thanks to research, survival rates have doubled in the past 40 years. This means that more people across the East of England are now beating the disease than ever before.

Last year, 6,972 women took part in Race for Life in Norwich and raised £457,084. This year, organisers need 7,300 women and girls to take part and help raise £471,997 for vital research.

Gemma added: “Race for Life is non-competitive.  It doesn’t matter how fit or fast you are.  Taking part is about joining together against a disease that affects all of us.  You can walk, run, dance, so we urge local ladies to take the first step by signing up today.”

To enter Race for Life’s events in the Norfolk, and learn how to do the Cancer Slam click here  or call 0845 600 6050.