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MAUI (HawaiiNewsNow) – October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and a gym on Maui is hosting a unique fitness challenge this weekend to honor one of their own who’s battled the disease
Katie Folio is always up for a challenge
The avid paddler and mother of two said she was in the best shape of her life last year
“Thinking it was for paddling, and then in the end, it ended up being for surviving cancer,” she said
Folio was diagnosed with breast cancer last year in May
“Which was shocking because it’s not in my family at all. But 90 to 95% of breast cancer is not related to family history, which I did not know until I got my diagnosis,” Folio said
Folio continued to exercise during radiation, after surgery and throughout chemotherapy
“I would do whatever I could do. It wasn’t pretty, but I had a lot of support and I just kept it up,” said Folio
This month marks one year since Folio has been cancer-free
She is now taking on a new challenge at Level Up Maui
“I got suckered into this HYROX event,” she said
“HYROX is a worldwide fitness event, and we are going to do our version of it here,” said Jackie Cox, owner of Level Up Maui. “It tests your strength and your endurance, and Katie has shown that over the last year, that you need to have strength and endurance to get through hard things.”
The event consists of a series of exercise sets separated by eight one-kilometer runs
Part of the proceeds will benefit Kokua 4 a Cause, a program that provides financial assistance to cover the cost of mammograms and biopsies for uninsured and underinsured women on Maui
Folio is now an advocate for breast cancer awareness
“You need to pay attention to your body. I think it’s really important to stay strong before, during, after whatever happens in your life. Starting from a place where you’re strong and your body’s strong is always going to help physically and mentally,” Folio said
She is inviting the public to join her in the challenge this Sunday
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