Taking a million steps together for Dementia UK shows community spirit of AXREM members

On September 17, AXREM members and partners will come together once again for AXREM’s Million Steps Challenge, taking on a collective goal of walking one million steps in support of our charity of the year, Dementia UK.

Now in its second year, the Million Steps Challenge has become one of the highlights of the AXREM calendar. It is about raising money for an important cause, but it is also about bringing our community together outside of the usual meetings, conferences and working groups.

Last year, more than 120 people joined the challenge and collectively worked towards our million-step target. Thirty of those participants also took part in our community walk in the Cotswolds, providing a fantastic opportunity to get away from the desk, meet colleagues face-to-face and enjoy some time together. This year, we are taking our community walk to Matlock, where members and partners will once again have the opportunity to walk, talk and raise money together.

For this year’s challenge, we are expecting to welcome even more participants. Final numbers are to be confirmed, but the enthusiasm from across our membership has already demonstrated just how willing our community is to get behind a good cause.

For AXREM, activities such as the Million Steps Challenge are an important part of what membership is about. Our special focus groups provide opportunities to share knowledge, discuss industry challenges and contribute to conversations that shape the future of healthcare technology. But engagement with AXREM goes beyond formal meetings and policy discussions.

Throughout the year, we create opportunities for our members to connect, learn and build relationships. From our Member’s Lunch and Awards, which brings the membership together to celebrate achievements and strengthen connections, to the AXREM Women’s Network, which provides a space for women across our industry to connect and support one another, there are many ways to get involved.

The Million Steps Challenge offers something a little different. There is no agenda, presentation or conference programme. Instead, it is an opportunity to spend time with colleagues, meet people from across the wider AXREM community and work towards something that benefits others.

That sense of community is particularly important in an industry where collaboration is essential. AXREM brings together organisations working across medical imaging, radiotherapy, healthcare IT, patient monitoring, care equipment and digital innovation. While our members may compete in the marketplace, there are many areas where coming together, sharing expertise and supporting one another can make a real difference.

Whether you are joining us for a special focus group, attending a member’s event, getting involved with the Women’s Network or simply putting one foot in front of the other for the Million Steps Challenge, AXREM membership is about being part of a community.

In September, we will be putting that community into action, one step at a time, for Dementia UK.

Picture: Last year’s walk in the Cotswolds raised money for Action for Children.

Read this report on page 18 of the September 2026 issue of RAD Magazine.