Go Sober For October

Make a difference to people living with cancer by going sober for 31 days this October.

Every year, Macmillan Cancer Support set the challenge to go sober for the month of October to raise money for people living with cancer. If the whole month sounds a little too tricky, you can take on the Sober October challenge for 21 or 14 days instead. Ultimately, do whatever it takes to help people living with cancer.

Not only are you helping others, you’re also helping yourself!• You’ll be saving money

• You’ll have more energy and a clearer head

• You’ll be sleeping better

• You could potentially lose weight

• You will have a great sense of achievement.

Many drinkers are unaware that regularly drinking more than 14 units a week can lead to a wide range of long-term health problems, including cancer, stroke, and heart attack. Drinking 14 units of alcohol works out to be roughly 6 pints of beer or 7 glasses of wine. Cutting down on your alcohol consumption, no matter how much you drink, will significantly reduce the risk of long-term health issues that could arise.

Macmillan Cancer Support provides support to cancer patients from the moment they’re diagnosed, through their treatment and beyond, they are right there with you, offering emotional, physical and financial support. Going sober for October will help change the lives of many people suffering from cancer and their families, all while benefitting your own health too.

31 days may seem like a long time to go without a drink, especially if you have events in the calendar or plan to go out with friends however, it doesn’t mean you have to turn them down or not look forward to them. You’re just giving up drinking alcohol, not throwing away your whole social life!

Often at bars and restaurants, they will have mocktails or 0% alcohol drinks available which will make it feel like you’re not missing out and they still taste great, just without the added hangover in the morning! Just think how amazing it’ll feel to go 31 days without a dreaded hangover.

Most people think they can’t have fun without alcohol, but this is certainly not true. You can still go out to bars and clubs sober and have just as much fun without waking up the next day with awful hangover anxiety. The time spend usually being hungover and feeling a bit sorry for yourself can be spent exploring the wonderful sights of Plymouth instead, or catching up with friends and family.

Saving money is one of the best reasons to Go Sober for October. We all love a pint and a catch up with friends on Friday after work, but let’s face it… it’s never just the one pint of beer or glass of wine, is it? Most of the time it turns into a night out on the town where you stumble in the door at 4 am. And then you check your bank account on Sunday night to realise you’ve spent £80 on a few rounds that you don’t even remember!

You could save hundreds of pounds this October by going sober, that money you save could help go towards that car you’ve been dying to get, and you can even donate some of it to Macmillan to help support those
with cancer.

But remember all along that going sober for October is helping millions of cancer patients receive vital support from Macmillan Cancer Support – you are making a huge difference to the lives of people who need it most, all whilst improving your own health in the process. And you might even find that the positive effect reduced alcohol consumption has had makes you drink less once the month is over.

To find out more about Go Sober For October head to www.gosober.org.uk where you can register and help raise the funds to support cancer patients. If you want to find out other ways to help fundraise then go to
www.macmillan.org.uk.