Canadian Celebrities Sign on as 'Warriors' in Support of Arthritis Research

Power of Movement, Canada's Largest Yoga Fundraiser, Stretches Canadians from Coast to Coast


TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Jan. 17, 2012) -

Editors Note: There are 2 photos associated with this press release.

Canadian celebrities, David Paetkau of CTV's Flashpoint, Anthony Sedlak of the Food Network, Farah Nasser of CP24, Melissa Ramos of Sexy Food Therapy, Author Nicole Bouchard Boles, and Chan Hon Goh of Goh Ballet announced today that they will strike their best warrior pose at Power of Movement 2012 - Canada's largest yoga fundraiser, which takes place on March 4, 2012.

Now in its sixth year, Power of Movement has raised over $1 million for research to benefit the 4.6 million Canadians who live with arthritis and other autoimmune diseases. 'Millions of Canadians practice yoga, so why not do it for a good cause' is what Power of Movement is saying as it seeks to raise awareness and funds for these conditions.

Celebrity quotes:

"This is my second year participating in Power of Movement and I'm thrilled to be part of this fundraiser again," said David Paetkau. "My family has a history of arthritis so I understand the importance of initiatives like this that raise funds and awareness for the cause."

"Healthy living has always been important to me and I'm happy to be supporting Power of Movement again to help raise funds for such an important cause," states Anthony Sedlak.

"Power of Movement is a cause that's close to my heart as a person with an autoimmune condition, vasculitis," says Farah Nasser. "Many people have the misconception that arthritis is an old person's disease but I hope this fundraiser helps to show the many faces of this disease."

"I'm excited about being part of Power of Movement and providing a high-heeled approach to health that finally appeals to the masses," states Melissa Ramos.

"I'm always teaching others to give back but what better way to spread the word of philanthropy than participating in Power of Movement myself," states Nicole Bouchard Boles. "We each have the power within ourselves to make a difference in people's lives."

"Having had the privilege to dance to dance most of my life, I am a strong supporter of the research surrounding arthritis and musculoskeletal health. It remains significantly important to me," states Chan Hon Goh. "I'm excited to be a part of this fundraiser that continues to grow each year and raise funds for such significant work."

On March 4th, yoga "mega-sessions" will take place in 19 locations from coast-to-coast including Vancouver, Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Kitchener-Waterloo, Toronto, Mississauga, Oakville, Oshawa, Thunder Bay, Vaughan, Hamilton, Sarnia, Aurora, Ottawa, Montreal, and Bedford. Canadians can register to participate in a yoga mega-session and start collecting pledges through a personalized fundraising page at www.powerofmovement.ca.

Canadians who want to participate but do not live near a mega-session can join through the Virtual Challenge. Virtual yoga instruction is available through My Yoga Online and everyone who registers gets a free 30-day membership to this online yoga community.

Money raised will benefit millions of Canadians with arthritis and autoimmune disease related issues across the nation, through the Arthritis Research Foundation (ARF).

Become a fan of Power of Movement on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @powerofmovement.

Sponsors

Power of Movement 2011 is made possible with the support of Presenting Sponsor and global healthcare company Abbott, which has been involved with the fundraiser since 2007, as well as National Post, My Yoga Online, Amgen/Pfizer, Joe Fresh, and a host of other sponsors.

About the Arthritis Research Foundation

The Arthritis Research Foundation raises funds and awareness for the most comprehensive, collaborative, and specialized arthritis research centre in Canada. It is housed at University Health Network (UHN), which comprises Toronto General, Toronto Western and Princess Margaret Hospitals and Mount Sinai Hospital. The Arthritis Research Foundation is dedicated to research in arthritis and related autoimmune diseases, musculoskeletal health, and advancements in orthopaedic surgery.

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Contact Information:

Media Profile
Tonique Harry
416-504-8464
tonique.harry@mediaprofile.com

Farah Nasser at POM 2011 in Toronto David Paetkau at POM 2011 in Toronto