Media Release: HALO – ‘Helping A Little One’: Port Elizabeth to Cape Town Cycle Tour

5 February 2021 – As part of CANSA’s 90th anniversary celebrations this year, and to raise awareness about cancer affecting children, a group of cyclists known as the HALO ‘Helping A Little One’ Team, will cycle from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town and raise funds for CANSA TLC, which supports children with cancer.

Husband and wife, Hennie and Anita Prinsloo, head up the team and Hennie shares what motivates the cyclists to help children with cancer, “Doing this tour is twofold for us. One is that we need to help our children that are the future generation of this world and secondly, we want the world to know that even though COVID-19 has challenged us all, that there are still positive things in the world. Life is precious and we only get one life to live, so we need to make the most of it. Raising funds for innocent children with cancer is our way to give back something positive to the world.”

“An average of 800 to 1 000 children are newly diagnosed with cancer annually in South Africa, but sadly it is estimated that at least half of all children with cancer in South Africa are never diagnosed. This means that two thirds of children with cancer never reach a specialist treatment centre. If our team can raise awareness of childhood cancer and its symptoms through our tour we can enable early detection and treatment, ensuring the best possible treatment outcomes for the little ones. Funds raised will also go towards CANSA’s TLC support programmes for children with cancer, their parents / guardians. The public can support the tour by making a secure online donation,” Prinsloo continues.

The HALO team will be cycling over seven days and plan to leave Port Elizabeth on 6 March and arrive in Cape Town on 12 March 2021, when they will hand over gifts and donations to CANSA’s local TLC for children with cancer. The cyclists will be cycling an average of 118km per day, totalling 826.44km over the seven days. Included in the team will be a back-up vehicle and support members from ‘Think Bike Marshalls’.

Route:

• Day 1 – 6 March Port Elizabeth – Stormsriver (169km)
• Day 2 – 7 March Stormsriver – Plettenberg Bay (76km)
• Day 3 – 8 March Plettenberg Bay – Mossel Bay (147km)
• Day 4 – 9 March Mossel Bay – Bredasdorp (126km)
• Day 5 – 10 March Bredasdorp – Pearly Beach (89km)
• Day 6 – 11 March Pearly Beach – Pringle Bay (124,83km)
• Day 7 – 12 March Pringle Bay – Cape Town (94,61km)

Leillani Geduld, CANSA Corporate Relationship Manager, is excited to be welcoming the cyclists in Cape Town saying, “We wish the HALO team a safe journey from PE to Cape Town. It is wonderful that they have put themselves out there to raise awareness of childhood cancer symptoms, to help save children’s lives through early detection. The funds they are raising will also be put to good use. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic CANSA TLC facilities have remained operational throughout, and we have continued to provide support in the form of broviacs / ports (enabling treatment that is less painful); providing prostheses, medical equipment, wheel chairs, food parcels and counselling.”

(For more information, please contact Leillani Geduld at CANSA at email lgeduld@cansa.org.za or call 082 304 1272.)

About CANSA

CANSA offers a unique integrated service to the public and to all people affected by cancer. CANSA is a leading role-player in cancer research and the scientific findings and knowledge gained from our research are used to realign our health programmes, as well as strengthen our watchdog role to the greater benefit of the public. Our health programmes comprise health and education campaigns; CANSA Care Centres that offer a wide range of care and support services to those affected by cancer; stoma and other clinical support; medical equipment hire, as well as a toll-free line to offer information and support. We offer a Tele Counselling service in seven languages free of charge. We also supply patient care and support in the form of 11 CANSA Care Homes in the main metropolitan areas for out-of-town cancer patients and CANSA-TLC lodging for parents and guardians of children undergoing cancer treatment.

Queries CANSA

Visit www.cansa.org.za or contact the nearest CANSA Care Centre, call CANSA toll-free 0800 22 66 22 or email: info@cansa.org.za. In addition to online resources and Facebook support groups, CANSA offers multi-lingual support on WhatsApp: 072 197 9305 for English and Afrikaans and 071 867 3530 for isiXhosa, isiZulu, siSwati, Sesotho and Setswana and free Tele Counselling per appointment on 0800 22 66 22 in English, Afrikaans, isiXhosa, isiZulu, siSwati, Sesotho and Setswana. Follow CANSA on Facebook:
CANSA The Cancer Association of South Africa, Twitter: @CANSA (http://www.twitter.com/CANSA), Instagram @cancerassociationofsouthafrica, LinkedIn and Pinterest.