Tasha Connelly, Sarah Marie McDevitt, Annette Houston and Elaine McBride and Joanne McGinley.
BY SEÁN P. FEENY
LATER this month a showcase of pole-dancing in aid of breast cancer will be staged the Old Orchard Inn to raise much-needed funds to fight the disease.
The showcase is being staged by the members of Polercise Ltd, Lower Main Street, Letterkenny who practise this increasingly popular fitness alternative to aerobics, pilates and the gym.
Polercise, which also has studios in Derry, Belfast and Banbridge, regularly raises funds for much-needed causes through showcases by its members.
For the members of the Letterkenny studio the upcoming showcase at the Orchard on Saturday, August 25, is for a cause very close to their hearts as it affected one of its members.
Last year Joanne McGinley from Falcarragh was still an active member of the Letterkenny studio until she was diagnosed with breast cancer in November.
Joanne had been an active member for a year-and-a-half before she was diagnosed and subsequently had her lymphectomy in December.
She began her chemotherapy in December and subsequently went through radiotherapy and thankfully came through. “All the girls were fantastic and so supportive during that time.
“I wasn’t able to go to classes anymore or even visit them at the studio, but they all kept in contact through various means and the girls were just great,” Joanne said.
Joanne said that the regular exercise before her treatment was very likely a a large contributing factor to her going through the treatment very well.
She said: “I very much miss taking part in the classes and learning new moves, but there will be other dances I can do with the girls during the showcases.
“I seemed to sail through a lot of the treatment, so maybe having a good fitness level beforehand helped, but you also have to be very positive during the whole process.
“I did keep a positive attitude, I didn’t like the whole sympathy things so I tried to keep the spirits up and had good moral support from my friends and family, which helps get you through it.”
Joanne’s friend and fellow Polercise member, Elaine McBride from Letterkenny, said it’s a fun to put a show together, after learning all the moves during classes, especially if its for a good cause.
“When we first heard that Joanne had been diagnosed with breast cancer we decided that we would like to do something in support of her at some stage.
“We do showcases every year and we decided to dedicate the next show to breast cancer in honour of Joanne and everybody else that has battled the disease,” said Elaine.
“Sometimes pole-dancing gets a bit of bad press, but it’s great exercise and there’s women all shapes and sizes and ages doing it, and it’s great way for all of us to do something together in Joanne’s honour, and say well done to her by raising funds for a great cause.”
The Polercise showcase will take place on Saturday, August 25, at the Old Orchard Inn, Letterkenny.
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