A personal trainer and wellness coach from Hertfordshire is to be the face of a charity campaign that will see participants aim to walk 10,000 Steps a Day in February.
Lavina Mehta MBE, of Watford, will be providing handy tips and targeted workouts to help supporters of the Brain Tumour Research challenge reach their daily step count and sharing motivational videos to ensure they keep on track.
The 43-year-old – who believes in ‘exercise for sanity not vanity’ – plans to introduce the Facebook challenge community to her ‘exercise snacking’ concepts, which offer bitesize amounts of movement, including her ‘feel good walks’ and inventive ‘stair snacking’, plus inefficient housework techniques which encourage more movement whilst at home, seated chair workouts ideal for those with limited mobility and stretch workouts to aid muscle recovery to allow for regular pain-free exercise.
The British Asian mum-of-three, who was awarded an MBE for her services to health and fitness during the COVID-19 pandemic, has a personal connection to the charity following the death of her beloved father-in-law Mahendra Mehta in February 2014, just six months after he was diagnosed with a grade 3 anaplastic astrocytoma.
She said: “I’m thrilled and honoured to be the face of a what is a fantastic campaign for a very important cause. I’m hoping to really help all the participants hit their 10,000 steps with a bit of fun, motivation, tips and workouts along the way. It’s a very personal cause to me so I will use that as motivation to help raise as much money as possible.”
Mahendra, known affectionately as ‘Papa’, was fit and active leading up to his shock diagnosis, which came following a visit to a physio after he experienced a sudden loss of balance getting out of the car one day.
His tumour was spread over such a large area that it was inoperable but he underwent gruelling radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment. Ultimately his condition deteriorated and he lost the ability to speak and walk before lapsing into a coma the day after his 68th birthday – which falls during the month of February – passing away six days later.
Lavina, who will be doing a special ‘live indoor step workout’ to mark Mahendra’s 76th birthday on 16 February, said: “I often say that I married my husband partly because of his dad who was literally a father figure to me. He really encouraged me in everything I did and would be so proud of me for getting involved in this campaign, especially as he was such an active philanthropist.
“We were very close; I treasure the special time I had with Papa and just fell in love with him straight away. He was instrumental in helping me raise my three boys and by my side as a friend and father, and now guiding me as my guardian angel.
“What happened to him was very sudden. In his case there were no signs until it was too late and it was devastating to see him lose his speech and mobility and need us to care for him fully. It's been eight years since his death but it’s still very raw and emotional. Something has to be done and this challenge is my way of helping.”
She added: “My mission is to help people of all ages feel good physically and mentally through the power of exercise. I only started my fitness journey two years before we lost Papa so my message is it’s never too late. This 10,000 steps challenge is a great way for people to start and the mental health benefits from taking part are significant and should help get them through difficult periods.”
After a successful first challenge a year ago which raised nearly £1 million to support vital research and campaigning, Brain Tumour Research’s 10,000 Steps a Day in February Challenge is back. The charity is calling for people to step up to the Facebook challenge and make it even bigger and better in 2022. Participants will receive a free emoji t-shirt and fundraising pack when they receive their first donation and a special medal if they raise £274 or more.
Charlie Allsebrook, community development manager for Brain Tumour Research, said: “The best part of 10,000 Steps a Day in February is that you can fit your steps in with your everyday life whether that be taking your dog for a longer walk, catching up with friends at your local park, walking your commute or school run instead of driving, getting off the bus a few stops earlier or walking around your house whilst on the phone.
“We’re very grateful to Lavina for lending her support to this campaign and we have no doubt our challenge participants will benefit from her expertise and positivity. As with all our supporters, she understands the need for greater funds for vital research into brain tumours to improve treatment options and, ultimately, find a cure. Less than 12% of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years compared with an average of 50% across all cancers.”
Brain Tumour Research funds sustainable research at dedicated centres in the UK. It also campaigns for the Government and the larger cancer charities to invest more in research into brain tumours in order to speed up new treatments for patients and, ultimately, to find a cure. The charity is the driving force behind the call for a national annual spend of £35 million in order to improve survival rates and patient outcomes in line with other cancers such as breast cancer and leukaemia and is also campaigning for greater repurposing of drugs.
To join the 10,000 Steps Facebook challenge group, go to www.facebook.com/groups/10000stepsadayinfebruary2022.
