My Fundraising Appeal – Support the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital

I have been participating in extreme desert running challenges for the past few years to raise awareness and funds for organisations and causes making a difference in Africa.

Starting on 20 October, I’ll be competing in my eleventh international desert race – the Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon (KAEM). This race involves running 250km in 6 stages, over 7 days, in the Kalahari Desert in the Northern Cape.

I’m dedicating my participation in the race to the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital (NMCH).

Inspired by Madiba’s love for children, and built in honour of his legacy, the NMCH is a world-class tertiary specialist referral paediatric hospital based in Parktown, Johannesburg. The 200-bed facility is only the second dedicated paediatric hospital in Southern Africa and admitted its first patients in June 2017.

As a public benefit organisation, NMCH only receives operational funding from the government to treat public patients and independently fundraises to support its capital expenses. As a result, it requires ongoing public support to expand and sustain its services.

As part of my participation in the KAEM, and in support of Madiba’s legacy, I aim to raise R250 000 for NMCH to enable more children to benefit from its services.

The money raised will be used in support of the following items and services:

• 5 x Heart surgeries (R20 000 per patient) (R100 000)
• 10 x Noise-cancelling earphones (R2 000 per unit) (R20 000)
• 20 x Medicine for an ICU patient (R5 000 per day) (R100 000)
• 100 x Welcome packs (R150 each) (R15 000)
• 300 x Toys for children in physiotherapy (R50 each) (R15 000)

Total: R250 000

It only requires 2 500 people to donate a minimum of R100 each to reach this target, and I’m challenging all South Africans to support this important campaign and the work of NMCH.

Running 250 kilometres through the Kalahari Desert in extreme heat and sand will be a tough challenge, but I’m inspired by this cause and the belief that together we can achieve this target.

Nothing will give me greater pleasure than honouring Madiba’s legacy and centennial birthday in this manner.

My fundraising campaign will run from 10 October to 27 November 2018, to coincide with Giving Tuesday, an annual global initiative aimed at encouraging social giving.

I appeal to you to visit my fundraising page, make a donation, and encourage your friends and colleagues to do the same.

Your donation will make a real, lasting impact in the lives of those in need.