GEORGE NEWS - Georgian Dr André Hattingh, founder and CEO of Pediatric Care Africa (PCA), will be setting out for his sixth annual Ride for a Child charity motorcycle trip along the country's borders on Sunday 9 February, raising funds for medical care for underprivileged children.
Hattingh departs from the Caltex garage in De Rust at 07:40, to join up at the main departure point in Oudtshoorn at 09:00. From there he will ride to the Sasol garage on the N2 to fuel up and and to meet bikers who want to join in at about 10:00.
He will cover 7 000km in 22 days. The ride this year will include a Doctors for Children drive with Hattingh trying to recruit volunteer private general practitioners (GPs) in every town he travels through.
"Each volunteer GP that joins the Doctors for Children drive will be requested to assist two children per year on a pro bono basis that Pediatric Care Africa refers to the doctor in the event of us receiving a request for assistance of a sick child in their area," says Mandy Pieters, event planner and coordinator.
"The idea is to have a further 300 additional underprivileged South African children per year consult a private GP, for the purpose of diagnosis and a prescription for medicine."
If the child requires more than just a physical examination to enable the GP to make a diagnosis, PCA will arrange and pay for the medication the child is prescribed by the GP. The same applies to any lab tests or Xrays the child must receive to facilitate a diagnosis.
Pieters says their fundraising efforts will continue. "Our continuous fundraising efforts enable us to pay for medical expenses and surgeries of underprivileged children."
PCA appeals to individuals and motorcycle clubs or groups to help raise funds during this ride. "We ask that every motorcycle group or individual rider in the towns we travel through appeal to their local GP about becoming a volunteer doctor with Pediatric Care Africa."
If a prospective volunteer doctor wishes to meet Hattingh in person, or a group wants to ride some distance with him, they may contact Pieters at events@pediatriccareafrica.org or send a WhatsApp to 072 034 0544.
Companies may also sponsor the kilometres that Hattingh will be covering.
"The route will reach the most northern, eastern, western and southern points of South Africa that are accessible by road bike. By travelling all around the borders of South Africa, we draw an imaginary circle around the children to show them that we care," says Pieters.
Supporters of Ride for a Child have made it possible in previous years to assist dozens of children with surgeries and hundreds with free medical care. PCA has been able to import a 40ft container full of medical equipment from the UK, resulting in dozens of children with cerebral palsy-related disabilities receiving wheelchairs and specialist buggies. "
Supporters have assisted us to help establish a world-class standard paediatric surgical ward and a paediatric burns ward, and we thank and applaud them for that," says Pieters.
The ride will conclude in De Rust on 2 March.
More information is available from Pieters at the above details. Hattingh's route can be viewed at www.pediatriccareafrica.org.
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