Finding Ireland's fittest firm

The search is on for Ireland's fittest firm! One of Ireland's favourite charity events is establishing a league table so you can challenge rivals, get fit and help a good cause all at once.The Fighting Cancer Triathlon returns to Belvedere House, Gardens and Park on June 15 and organisers hope to smash their €1.5m fundraising target this year. Every cent raised goes to the Cancer Clinical Research Trust (CCRT), with no deductions for administration or overheads.The CCRT is dedicated to achieving better outcomes for the 20,000 cancer patients diagnosed in Ireland every year. "Cancer research is expensive and there are limited sources of funding for patient oriented research in Ireland," says consultant oncologist Professor John Crown."We are virtually wholly dependent on the generosity of charitable donors, both individuals and collective groups."While companies and clubs will relish the competitive element of the event, the majority of participants take part to improve their personal fitness. Countless studies have linked successful fitness programmes to the establishment of attainable goals. Motivation wanes if targets are unrealistic and new research by Bodybuilding.com indicates that almost seven out of 10 people ditch their new year fitness resolution for this reason.John O'Reilly (chairman) said: "The Fighting Cancer Triathlon is tailored for beginners and is ideal if you have never participated in this type of event."The course consists of a 750m swim in the placid waters of Lough Ennell, a 20km cycle and a 5km run around the grounds at Belvedere. "You can complete the challenge as an individual or find two friends, colleagues or relatives to take part as a relay team," Mr Collins said."It offers an achievable and realistic challenge and is a big hit among weight-loss groups for this reason."To help fight cancer, please invite a volunteer to visit your organisation by calling John on 087 2648668 or visiting fightingcancertriathlon.ie.• Fighting Cancer Triathlon (Tri-To-Beat Cancer) is an independent self-financed charity set up in 2001 as a way of raising critically needed funds to support the Cancer Clinical Research Trust. When the late Anne Burns decided to set-up Tri-To-Beat-Cancer, she learned how to swim while undergoing chemotherapy treatment and this determination is still at the heart of the event today.About CCRT: The Cancer Clinical Research Trust is devoted to furthering the development of new treatments for cancer, and supports research both in the lab, and at the cancer patient's bed-side, an integrated programme of investigation. In addition to the traditional cancer treatments of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, important treatments which have cured many patients and prolonged many lives, we now have a revolutionary new field of "targeted treatments". These treatments are akin to "smart bombs" which are specifically designed to focus on potential weak spots in the cancer cells make-up. More importantly, these treatments are generally associated with much less severe side-effects than are seen with other forms of therapy.