Te Atawhai Mason is taking on a 24-hour running challenge in honour of his grandmothers, who both had breast cancer. Photo / Fin Ocheduszko Brown
Te Atawhai Mason is taking on a 24-hour running challenge in honour of his grandmothers, who both had breast cancer. Photo / Fin Ocheduszko Brown
Te Atawhai Mason is preparing to run for 24 hours to raise awareness for a cause close to his heart – breast cancer.
The 24-year-old personal trainer and social media content creator was born and raised in Rātana, near Whanganui.
He will take on the day-long challenge from 6pm onNovember 21 in honour of both his grandmothers, who battled breast cancer.
“My two nans, who have now passed away, were diagnosed with breast cancer and were lucky enough to survive – that was my motivation to do something around the cancer space,” Mason said.
He will run for 24 hours around Rātana Pā to raise awareness and funds that will go directly to the Breast Cancer Foundation NZ.
“A lot of our families in Rātana have battled, or passed away from, cancer so we thought that it’s the best opportunity to start something and see where it goes,” he said.
“We’re just trying to bring all communities together to celebrate, learn and educate each other.
“The battle that cancer patients go through is way harder than what we go through, sitting in their hospital beds, having to go back and forth for chemotherapy – this is a way for us to raise more of an awareness.”
This year Te Atawhai Mason represented Rātana for the first time in his senior career after returning home. Photo / Kate Belsham, Ivy Digital
Despite his fitness and rugby background, having represented Rātana and the Steelform Whanganui Heartland Championship side in 2025, Mason has mixed emotions before the challenge.
“It’s going to be a long time ... I’m quite nervous. I know I have prepared well in the short time that I have had,” he said.
“I’m more excited because it is not only going to be a physical battle but also a mental battle.”
Mason said he had been training vigorously for the event for a month, blending Hyrox speed sessions with a selection of long runs throughout the week.
Hauora at Home has categories for individuals or teams of five.
It will have live entertainment from kapa haka groups and bands, food stalls, health checks, spot prizes and a couch talk to share stories.
Mason said there had been interest from people as far away as Auckland, Tauranga and Rotorua. Participants do not need to be from, or connected to, Rātana.
