With a background in social work and after losing her beloved Dad tragically to bowel cancer, it’s hardly surprising Annie Crawford decided she wanted to “make a difference” rather than returning to the paid workforce when she returned to Australia after living in the US for several years.
And she’s made a profound difference in the lives of thousands of Australians ever since.
Annie founded Can Too in 2005, a charity with the goal of creating a healthier and fitter community while also funding innovative cancer research.
To be honest, I always thought of Can Too as a cancer fundraising organisation first and foremost.
But as Annie points out in this conversation, Can Too is dedicated to promoting health and wellbeing and encouraging people to step out of their comfort zone, by committing to an event - perhaps their first 7km, first marathon or first ocean swim - with the support of like-minded people and professional coaches, while raising funds for cancer research.
If you’re in Australia, you’ll no doubt be familiar with the ubiquitous orange singlets worn by runners at most events around the country these days.
Over the last 14 years, over 15,000 people have participated in Can Too programs and raised over $21m for cancer research.
While I was familiar with the work and programs run by Can Too, I wanted to know more about the woman with the vision behind the scenes, so I asked :)
We discuss:
* what inspired Annie to establish Can Too,
* the role running has played in managing her mental health,
* why you need to remember that you can’t die of fear (my new favourite quote!),
* her experience with the Imposter Complex,
And more.
Get the full show notes for the episode here.
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