TBK Gives to The 3Ms ~ MARK MARCHES IN MARCH- latest update 2.3.23

Mark Johns, wearing his Prostate Pants on the outside, is walking at least 11, 000 steps a day in March. On the first day he overachieved with a massive 20959 steps!

Well done to Mark and Bill, Phil & Rob who joined him on his inaugural walk. They are three school mates he has known for over 60 years!

When Mark contacted me to donate to his "Mach the Month" project I was tempted to give £1,111 but as his target was only £1,000 I opted for £111! he liked the idea of matching the sponsorship to the steps so changed his target to £1,100! He managed to exceed this in his first week- well done Mark and thanks to all his fabulously generous supporters!

He has now got a total of £2,417 and is 5th on the leaderboard for the top fundraisers for this event- well done Mark and all his supporters.

For those of you new to this story please read my earlier blog before we go any further. It was my most popular blog in January and now has , wait for it, 111 readers!

https://thebritishkabayan.blogspot.com/2023/01/tbk-asks-have-you-had-your-psa-test.html

I will let Mark update you on the background to the March in March:

"As many of you know , I was diagnosed with Advanced Prostrate Cancer last October 2022. It came as a total bolt out of the blue, no obvious symptoms and unfortunately my condition is thought to be not curable, but manageable.

With all the professional tests completed at the RUH Bath, my treatment commenced in late December 2022, to keep the cancer in check & currently the initial prognosis is positive.

My half glass full approach to the situation leads me to the Prostate Cancer UK's next challenge

March the Month.

This is a sponsored step challenge for anyone who wants to keep active and help beat prostate cancer.

Joining thousands of people, across the nation, committing themselves to walk or wheel 11,000 steps a day throughout March

Those of you who know me well, will know that walking is something I endure, not so much a pleasure,but something I undertake because Caroline and the dogs do enjoy walking.

So to carry out 11,000 daily steps will be a challenge to me!

Q) What does 11,000 steps look like to me?

A) On my current fitness levels they convert into a walk of around about 5 miles and with my speed of pace, will probably mean 2 hours of walking each day in the month of March !

I wonder what I will look like on 31st March?

Probably so good that I'll continue the walk as part of my daily ritual ????

Why 11,000 steps ~ they represent more than 11,000 dads brothers, grandads, partners and mates who die from prostate cancer every year.

Well I am going to commit myself to the Challenge laid down, but will also include some personal 'riders'

1) I want to set my challenge as a minimum of 11,000 steps and request sponsorship be in the form of a lump sum and not by any form of per step rate

2) Have a bit of fun with the walks, try and encourage others to join me for a walk ~ It Could Be You. To make the walk a social event rather than a solo slog. This may include incentives such as visits to pubs during or after a walk ( not every walk) or an afternoon tea somewhere.

3) I hope to celebrate various stages throughout my life & revisit places from my past that mean something special to me

4) To raise the awareness of Prostate Cancer throughout all the walks, and encourage men to be screened. Where possible gain publicity through social media,television and hard copy.

To achieve much of this I wish to emulate a good friend of mine, the late John Fraser. John was screened early in his life and tested positive for Prostate Cancer, treated but tragically passed of something else.

However John decided to spend his time raising awareness of this killer disease and fundraising for Prostate Cancer UK

He saw many women conduct their sponsored walks whilst wearing their colourful bras outside their clothing.

So John conjured up a bit of fun with his sponsored walks on his home on the Isle of Wight by wearing his Pants on the Outside.

I will do the same on all my sponsored walks, wearing Oddballs Prostate Cancer boxers or briefs on the outside. If you go to my Just Giving page you'll see me modelling some.

All of this, the daily grind of a minimum of 11,000 steps, wearing the Pants On The Outside, for each & every walk during March come wind, rain sun or snow to raise funds for Prostate Cancer to help fund life saving research for men and their families affected by Prostate Cancer.

So I come to my request, I would be greatly motivated if you were able to assist with any amount of sponsorship on the link below.

https://marchthemonth.prostatecanceruk.org/fundraising/mark-marches-march

So why is TBK giving to Mark in March?

1. He was my boss when I was a graduate trainee in what was then Trusthouse Forte hotels in 1982, and later in our Little Chef and Veolia Days. He also gave me work when he worked for Sodexho and I had my own Training consultancy , SSh Training. He pointed out the job opportunity in Bahrain at Bapco and made me a very rich man!

2. My Fitness instructor in Dubai gave me a target of 5000 steps a day and I usually only achieve that on vacation ( see my chart for January below) so for someone to commit to 11,000 steps a day, for a whole month, gets my utmost respect and support! Even with the promise of beer and afternoon tea!

Finally back in 2004 I had an email from a guy called John Fraser who had seen some of the fundraising I had done for Birmingham Childrens hospital after a friends daughter got ACL. He explained that he had been diagnosed with Prostate Cancer and asked if I would help him raise funds for the Prostate Cancer Charity in the UK and spread awareness of the disease and the need to get a Prostate Test (PSA).

I was then working for a company called SITA in Maidenhead and John and I polished shoes in the foyer while we explained to the older men wearing lace up shoes the need to get a test. John then started his Pants on the Outside walks on the Isle of Wight and I joined him on two of them , as well as recording a charity CD and holding various other fundraising events.

John on the right gathering the volunteers for his 6th walk

Sadly John died but I continued to promote PSA awareness in my role as Wellbeing Ambassador in Bahrain and our MOvember men's health month became an annual event which still continues to this day.

So when Mark contacted me and explain his "Mark Marches in March" I knew I wanted to help, both financially and by spreading the word.

Back to Mark:

Please share this blog with others on my behalf

And please keep spreading the word to all men over 50

ProStAte ~ Please Request A Test

Good luck Mark, and dont forget to keep us updated on your progress!

On 10TH February I received this update from Mark:

"Thanks to you and the other 'Early Bird Supporters' you have helped me

SMASH that target in the very first week & more.

I am really humbled by the generosity that you and the other 'EBSs' have bestowed upon me and as I write tonight's email to you the actual sponsorship sits at just below £1300.

So Thank You Thank You Thank You ~ You have really done you bit.

Today's breaking news is extremely positive about finding a more accurate PSA test for men, that hopefully will lead to an invitation to test, which currently does not exist. Funding is still required for the research & testing to introduce such a test much further down the road.

So if you have any opportunity to spread the word, and share my Just Giving page that too would be another excellent step forwards.

Team Johns(Caroline, Chloe & Matt) have told this old timer he needs to 'up his game' on social media so future messages & updates may be different from the 'old skool' emails ~ whatever.

Until then my very very grateful THANKS again for your generous support.

And now back to my training regime for the Marches

M x

For those who missed it and want to donate here in Mark's "Just Giving " Page:

Mark Marches March

Here are a couple of photos Mark sent me from the first event: