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Why reality TV celeb Lee Carseldine is showing us his towel

April 06, 2020

We’re all staying home a lot more right now. It’s the perfect time to get your ‘gram updated. It’s an even better time to jump on board the latest viral Towel Challenge being spearheaded by reality TV stars Lee Carseldine and David Genat.

The two mates—who met on the set of a reality TV series—are teaming up and are looking for Aussies to join them with their towels to make a difference.

The idea came from Aussie model David who started the challenge last year, but decided to relaunch it as #towelchallenge as a dedication to castmate Lee’s family and for the Stroke Foundation. 

Lee Carseldine amongst stroke survivors participating in the Towel Challenge

Image: Lee Carseldine amongst stroke survivors participating in the Towel Challenge

Stroke is a story extremely close to former Aussie cricketer Lee, after his mother Beth suffered a massive stroke in late 2019, and passed away abruptly before Lee could make it home. 

Lee’s father Stu also experienced a stroke 13 years earlier.

Lee hopes to not only raise awareness of stroke but to fundraise $77,000 for the foundation, coincidentally his mum was 77 when she passed away.

“To lose a Mum and to have a Dad who is severely restricted in his speech, not a day goes by that I don't think about mum and also dad as well and what we need to do to look after him,” says Lee.

“The Stroke Foundation is a great charity, they do amazing work for research so we thought we’d have a challenge, a bit of a campaign and let’s make it a little light-hearted as well.”

Be it a bath sheet or a beach towel, grab a white towel and take a snap of yourself wearing it, upload it in black and white to Instagram with #towelchallenge and #fightstroke. 

Nominate your mates and family to take up the challenge and get it on the gram.

Lee Carseldine and David Genat  participating in the Towel Challenge

Image: Lee Carseldine and David Genat  participating in the Towel Challenge 

The Towel Challenge supports the Stroke Foundation’s Research Program with much needed funds to prevent, treat and beat stroke in our future.

“It’s all about raising money and awareness for stroke and hopefully out of something so tragic of losing my mum, something good can come out of it,” says Lee.
One stroke occurs every nine minutes in Australia. That means one in four of us will have a stroke in our lifetime. 

Instagram fans have been taking up the challenge in some hilariously creative ways including having their pets donning a towel on their head, rocking a towel in a radio booth and even some creative backyard posing with tools—for woodworking and gardening of course!

With quarantine and self isolation becoming the new norm amid coronavirus, the towel challenge makes it easy to stay connected and do some good, all from your couch.  Or your bed. Or your bathroom. 

So go on—get your towel artistically draped and take on #towelchallenge. You can sign up and donate here.