The YMCA of Middle Tennessee has purchased 57 pink treadmills manufactured by Cybex International, Medway, MA, which says the purchase is a record for the company.
Many of the treadmills will be used by participants in the Y’s After Breast Cancer (ABC) program, which provides comprehensive nutrition, exercise and wellness services free of charge to breast cancer patients and survivors. Cybex supports breast cancer research annually through its Pink Ribbon Run.
“We’re honored to work with the YMCA of Middle Tennessee in its outreach and education efforts,” Lisa Juris, vice president of marketing for Cybex, said in a statement. “This is the biggest single purchase in the four-year history of the Pink Ribbon Run, and it’s inspiring to see the YMCA’s commitment to fighting breast cancer and to using exercise as a way to empower women to recover from this terrible disease.”
The ABC program is a free service to breast cancer patients and survivors in the Middle Tennessee area. During the 16-week program, participants receive full access to the YMCA, a custom wellness plan designed by a Pink Ribbon-certified trainer, lymphedema education, nutrition counseling from a registered dietician and encouragement and support from staff members as well as fellow breast cancer patients and survivors.
The program is made possible through the Y’s annual giving campaign and additional grant funding sources.
“Pink Cybex treadmills are a great symbol for raising awareness about the importance of exercise in the day-to-day lives of everyone, not just breast cancer patients and survivors,” Stephanie Kennedy, director of the YMCA of Middle Tennessee’s ABC program, said in a statement. “These treadmills can play a crucial role in empowering men and women alike to take steps to reduce their risk of cancer or cancer recurrence. And for the women in our ABC program, they’re a valuable tool during recovery as the women work to make regular exercise a part of their daily routines.”
The Middle Tennessee Y locations that feature the 57 pink treadmills include the Bellevue Family YMCA, the Clarksville Area YMCA, the Cool Springs YMCA, the Maryland Farms YMCA, the Maury County Family YMCA, the Putnam County Family YMCA, the Rutherford County Family YMCA and the Robertson County YMCA.
Cybex will donate 10 cents to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation for each mile logged on every new qualifying pink Cybex treadmill during the month of October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. More than $100,000 has been raised to date.