MEMPHIS, Tenn., May 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Fitness enthusiasts of all abilities can set their sights on the cosmos by reaching their goals right here on Earth in the St. Jude Race to Space Challenge powered by Strava from June 1-30. The one-of-a-kind challenge encourages Strava users to log their physical activity while raising awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
This effort complements the Inspiration4 mission, the world’s first all-civilian flight to space, planned to inspire the world to help children here on Earth.
Any combination of Strava’s 34 activity types such as walking, running, cycling, swimming, yoga or wheelchair workouts count toward the 360 minutes needed to complete the St. Jude Race to Space challenge. Six hours of activity breaks down to 90 minutes each week, which is roughly the time it will take the Inspiration4 crew to orbit the Earth once.
In 1962, the same year an American orbited the Earth for the first time, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® committed to a different kind of uncharted territory: Finding cures. Saving children.® Nearly 60 years later, treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to more than 80 percent. St. Jude won’t stop until no child dies from cancer.
To participate, users can download the free Strava app and join the St. Jude Race to Space Challenge. Once a user clicks join, any walk, run, hike or wheelchair activity logged in the app will count toward the 360-minute monthly goal.
In addition to working one’s way to the top of the Strava leaderboard, St. Jude Race to Space challenge finishers can earn a digital badge, a St. Jude sticker pack, and be entered for a chance to win one of five St. Jude Swag Bags with Inspiration4 apparel and a duffel bag. Fundraisers can also earn other mission-inspired incentives based on fundraising achievements.
Open for hikers and mountain bikers to yoga practitioners and triathletes, Strava is an online community of fitness enthusiasts driven to conquer their personal fitness goals. The St. Jude Run Club on Strava, which includes 12,500 members from around the world, takes those actions a step further by becoming part of something bigger to help the kids at St. Jude.
St. Jude Race to Space challenge participants can make the most of their June activities in several ways:
About St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Its purpose is clear: Finding cures. Saving children.® It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to more than 80 percent since the hospital opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude won’t stop until no child dies from cancer. St. Jude freely shares the discoveries it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. Visit St. Jude Inspire to discover powerful St. Jude stories of hope, strength, love and kindness. Join the St. Jude mission by visiting stjude.org, liking St. Jude on Facebook, following St. Jude on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, and subscribing to its YouTube channel.
SOURCE ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
