Look To The Stars News: Gemma Atkinson

Jeremy Edwards Strips For Cancer Research

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Female readers may like to sit down and take a deep breath before perusing this story: hunky ex-Holby City and Hollyoaks actor Jeremy Edwards has stripped off for a new charity campaign targeting male cancer.

The 37-year-old actor has been photographed without a stitch on for the Everyman Campaign, an initiative launched by the the Institute of Cancer Research in 1997.

“I’ve always exercised but I only got the six-pack recently and I’m pretty proud of it,” said Edwards. “I did a six-week challenge for Men’s Health magazine that involved training twice a day, a six-mile run before breakfast and no carbs after lunch. I’m chuffed and my mates can’t believe the transformation.”

Edwards said he decided to support the campaign after a scare five years ago: "One of my testicles swelled to the size of a cricket ball. Thankfully, it was a treatable cyst.”

The actor joins other celebrities such as Gemma Atkinson, Rachel Stevens, and Dermot O’Leary in supporting the campaign, which aims to increase awareness in males of testicular cancer.

The steamy photo of Edwards will appear in the August edition of Cosmopolitan magazine, although the star admits not everyone will be impressed.

“Because my fiancée Lydia sees me naked every day, I don’t think it’s had as much impact on her,” he said. “I’m like, ‘But look at my abs!’"

More information about the Everyman Campaign can be found at their website.

Gemma Atkinson Designs Hospital Room

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:32:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

British actress Gemma Atkinson has helped design a special room at a hospital in Britain to give young cancer sufferers a place to chill out.

The 23-year-old created the room in association with the Teenage Cancer Trust at Manchester’s Christie Hospital, and hopes the facility will give patients an area where they can escape the confines of their ward.

“Teenage Cancer Trust is a great charity, supporting young people with cancer in Chester and throughout the UK,” she said. “I visited the unit in Manchester recently and I was inspired by the patients I met who all had such zest for life. I was amazed by their positive attitudes, despite going through such a terrible ordeal. I want to do as much as I can to support them.”

The room has a rubber floor, making it easier for wheelchairs to move on, and a magnetic wall to make displaying appointment cards and notes easier and safer. It also features a Playstation and iPod jukebox.

“I’m really pleased with it,” said Atkinson. “Hospital wards are quite dull and boring so I went to Christie’s and asked teenagers there what they want. I wasn’t aware teenagers got cancer, but six are diagnosed with it every day.”

Gemma Atkinson Finishes Olivia's Great Walk To Beijing

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 04:09:33 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Olivia Newton-John’s Great Walk To Beijing charity event is into its 19th day and has already raised over $1.5 million and gathered sponsorship pledges from over 6000 people from around the world.

The last few days has seen the end of stage 4 of the event, which involves a group of celebrities and cancer survivors walking the length of the Great Wall of China in 21 days and raising $5 million for the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Centre in Melbourne, Australia. Over 142 kilometres have been walked by the group so far.

One star who has just finished her part in the walk is former Hollyoaks actress Gemma Atkinson, who walked the first four stages.

“I’m enjoying every minute, but it’s pretty hard work,” the 23-year-old said prior to finishing the walk. “I go to the gym five times a week and I think I’m quite fit, but I have been finding this quite gruelling. But I’m determined to make it to the end. I’ve vowed to myself that I’ll find the stamina to do it. It’s an amazing experience. And it’s been such an eye-opener – we’ve been walking past really isolated parts of China. I am missing [my boyfriend] Marcus, but he’s really proud of me for doing this so that definitely helps keep me going. It’s pretty tough! Thankfully cancer hasn’t touched me or my family, but being a female I am very aware of how common breast cancer is and I want to do my part to help.”

Olivia's Million Steps To Cure Cancer

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 09:44:54 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Only four days into the 3-week, 228-km walk along the Great Wall of China and Olivia Newton-John’s team of fund-raisers is already suffering sore knees, pulled muscles and twisted ankles, and realizing that this will be far more challenging than expected. No one is giving up yet, though, on a goal to raise $5 million towards the building of the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Centre in Melbourne.

The centre will provide in- and outpatient treatment and wellness therapies as well as integrated research into new and better cancer treatments and, ultimately, a cure.

Olivia – a cancer survivor – was diagnosed with the disease only two weeks after her father died from it. Fifteen years later, she has learned a lot on her road to recovery and is eager to give back. She says, “The whole experience has given me so much understanding and compassion I now want to help others going through the same journey.”

Olivia is joined in this gruelling challenge by Sir Cliff Richard, Dannii Minogue, Didi Conn, Gemma Atkinson, Joan Rivers, Leeza Gibbons, Marcus Patrick, Martina Laird, Scott Wolf, Amy Sky, and other celebrities whose lives have somehow been touched by cancer, as well as other cancer survivors.

Television host Leeza Gibbons, who joined the walk to support the hospital and her friend Olivia, was surprised at the physical effort required. “It was really exhausting and very challenging in certain spots. But whenever you would think, ‘Oh my gosh this is getting to be a lot,’ you’d look around behind you and there would be a cancer survivor.”

Over $1 million has been raised already. To meet the teams and sponsor a walker, go to The Great Walk To Beijing 2008.

Look To The Stars News: Gemma Atkinson

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