This week we are pleased to showcase ‘The Shake Breakers’ as our Shake It Up Heroes! This group of four Queenslanders have come together and set themselves two major goals: to compete in the World’s Toughest Mudder in Las Vegas, and to raise $200,000 for Shake It Up in the process! Read about their incredible story and what drives them to take on the world for Shake It Up!
What Drives Your Commitment to find a cure for Parkinson’s?
The Shake Breakers are committed to finding a cure for three reasons.
- A selfless desire to give something back to the community
- To support a mate impacted by the disease
- The possibility that a cure for Parkinson’s disease could result in scientific breakthroughs in similar neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis
Why Shake It Up Australia?
The Shake it Up Foundation resonates with each team member and is a charity we support for three reasons.
- Shake It Up Australia is a charity where 100% of donations are injected into research to find a cure for Parkinson’s disease. We can see real-world application for the donations we raise.
- Parkinson’s is the second most common neurological disease in Australia. The debilitations caused by Parkinson’s disease and the age brackets the disease can affect are misunderstood. Shake It Up Australia aims to educate, dispel common myths, and ultimately find a cure for the disease.
- The late father of our youngest member, Chris Bassett, was a long-term patient of Parkinson’s disease. Our team has first-hand insight into the crippling effects and the ramifications the disease has on the family unit. With links to the Michael J Fox Foundation in America, we believe Shake It Up is the premier charity in Australia driving a cure for Parkinson’s disease.
Tell us what you are doing to Shake Things Up?
The Shake Breakers have two goals to shake things up. Our first goal is to raise and donate 100 thousand dollars to the Shake It Up Foundation. Our second goal is to be crowned the World’s Toughest Mudders in 2014.
Everyday, if not twice a day, The Shake Breakers undertake a number of grueling training sessions in preparation to compete for the title of the World’s Toughest Mudder, a 24-hour endurance race held in Las Vegas, America. In addition, each month the team participates in two mock events. Each mock event takes place over a 24-hour period and challenges our determination, strength, stamina, and mental and physical grit.
The team documents and broadcasts their journey on social media and their website to raise money for the Shake it Up Foundation. Each member of The Shake Breakers has a unique skill set that assists the team to reach their fundraising goal of 100 thousand dollars for the Shake it Up Foundation.
Greatest Reward?
The Shake Breakers are a group guys who want to make a difference. The greatest rewards for the team are:
- Giving back to the community
- Lending a hand
- Knowing each donation dollar raised is directed into finding a cure for Parkinson’s disease
- Each member of the team wakes up every single morning inspired to make a difference. We don’t always enjoy training at 3.30 a.m., we don’t always enjoy running 30 kilometres every Saturday in lieu of a sleep-in, and we don’t always enjoy army crawling through mud at midnight; however, we love working hard and making a difference.
Best advice for people looking to Shake It Up?
- Provide a clear goal: What are your goals? How will you achieve them?
- Do something you love and support: What do you have a passion for? What charitable organization resonates with you or your team?
- Set ambitious targets: Don’t be afraid to set cavalier goals. Any contribution is important. Success will be driven by your passion and commitment.
- Point of difference: Why should people donate to your cause over another? How are your fundraising efforts different and unique?
- Start small, think big: No idea should be discounted when raising money for charity. The Shake Breakers are a group of four regular blokes who want to make a difference.
Read a message from the Shake Breakers on the epic challenge
