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Thanks to a record number of more than 13 thousand participants at the 2019 Algoa FM Big Walk for Cancer, a new transporter vehicle was purchased for the CANSA Port Elizabeth Care Centre of the Cancer Association South African (CANSA).
The vehicle will be used for patients that have come to Port Elizabeth from all over the Eastern Cape and need to be transported to and from their cancer treatments while being accommodated at the CANSA Strelitzia Care Home in the city.
Gavin Kester, CANSA Eastern Cape Divisional Manager says, “it’s was sometimes quite difficult for us to transport a number of patients at once, as we were using our personal vehicles. This meant that we often were expected to be in two places at the same time.
“We are also responding to COVID1-19 because cancer patients are the most vulnerable to infection and have to ensure the safety of our patients and caregivers”.
“We thank all the Algoa FM Big Walk for Cancer participants for this amazing gift, cancer is a battle we all need to get together and fight. The new transporter enables us to move patients to and from treatments comfortably”.
A total of R450 000 was raised by the 2019 Algoa FM Big Walk for Cancer, which was hosted in association with the Eastern Cape Department of Health and the Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture.
R70 000 of the funds raised will go towards the payment of a new sports field at Heatherbank primary school. This will provide an all-weather court, for hockey, soccer and basketball matches for the youngsters from Gqebera Township.
“Keeping fit is as important as a good education. Thanks to these new sports facilities we will be able to make sure that our children get the best of both”, says Ellen Lovemore, Principal of Heatherbank Primary School.
“A big ‘thank you’ must go to the participants of the 2019 Algoa FM Big Walk for Cancer, without whom, this wouldn’t have been possible.
“For the past 21 years, thousands of participants have answered the call and continued to walk with us and make this the biggest mass participation event in the Eastern Cape,” says, Algoa FM’s managing director Alfie Jay.
He says plans for the 2020 Algoa FM Big Walk for Cancer are well advanced. “I’m very excited about the proposed Covid-safe format for this event. We will be making an announcement shortly,” he says.
