Leanne Hainsby-Alldis Named Gabe Grunewald Inspiration Award Recipient

Leanne Hainsby-Alldis has been named the 2026 recipient of the Gabe Grunewald Inspiration Award, presented by AKTIV Against Cancer. The honor recognizes the Peloton instructor’s work as a breast cancer survivor and advocate.

AKTIV Against Cancer announced the honor on Instagram, sharing that it is honored to recognize Leanne with the award. The organization will present the Gabe Grunewald Inspiration Award alongside its AKTIV Against Cancer Award, which this year goes to Summit Health Cares for its work helping underserved communities access medical, educational, and social services. U.S. Olympian and ESPN broadcaster Carrie Tollefson will host the event.

Who Is Leanne Hainsby-Alldis

Leanne joined Peloton in 2018 as the first female instructor based in the UK, teaching out of the London studio alongside her now husband, Ben Alldis. Before fitness, she spent years as a professional dancer, touring and performing with artists including Taylor Swift, Kylie Minogue, and Katy Perry. In 2022, at age 35, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent six months of treatment, an experience she shared publicly to raise awareness among younger women. She and Ben welcomed their first child together, son Ace Eddie Alldis, in December 2025, and she returned to Peloton’s live schedule this September after maternity leave, a comeback we covered in a recent Clip Out article.

Event Details

The 2026 AKTIV Against Cancer Award ceremony takes place October 28 from 7 to 9 PM ET at the New York Athletic Club, located at 180 Central Park South in New York City. Attire is listed as cocktail chic. More information is available at aktivagainstcancer.us.

About AKTIV Against Cancer

AKTIV Against Cancer was established in 2007 and co-founded by Grete Waitz, the nine time New York City Marathon winner, with a mission to make physical activity a standard part of cancer treatment. The organization has donated more than $17 million and opened 21 physical activity centers, called Pusterommet, inside cancer treatment hospitals in Norway. AKTIV Against Cancer established its official 501(c)(3) presence in the United States in 2014 and has hosted its annual award dinner since 2015 to honor Waitz’s legacy. Past Gabe Grunewald Inspiration Award recipients include Gabriele Grunewald herself in 2017, Olympic athlete Chaunté Lowe in 2022, and the Exercise Oncology Team at Memorial Sloan Kettering in 2023.

Who Gabe Grunewald Was

The award takes its name from Gabriele “Gabe” Grunewald, a professional middle-distance runner and rare cancer advocate who competed for Team USA before her death in 2019. Grunewald founded the Brave Like Gabe Foundation to raise money for rare cancer research, and organizations across the running and fitness communities have continued to honor her legacy through awards like this one.

A Recognition Tied to a Public Journey

Leanne has been quite open about her breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, using her platform to raise awareness among younger women. The Gabe Grunewald Inspiration Award ties that advocacy to a broader public health conversation. Her recognition comes weeks after she returned to Peloton’s live schedule following maternity leave, marking a season defined by both a professional comeback and a public honor.

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