Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za

4 min read | 14:15 pm CAT

The government must do more to ensure that the most vulnerable in our country have access to cancer treatment.

This is the plea of Judge Siraj Desai from Cape Town, a cancer survivor, at the launch of the Wheel to Heal campaign in Lansdowne, where he was the keynote speaker.

The launch was held in the Alhambra Restaurant at the Islamia Academy on Monday, 26 September.

Thirty cyclists from Cape Town and surrounds will cycle to beat cancer in December from Mossel Bay to Cape Town and hope to raise R2 million for the beneficiaries of Pink Drive and Multiple Sclerosis of South Africa.

In an interview with Radio Islam International, Dr Elias Parker, organiser of the campaign cycling to beat cancer, also lost his wife through cancer and explained the sense of loss one grapples with daily.

“Instead of retrieving into a corner of self-pity. I decided to transform the energy into an exercise that could assist and help those who have the similar fate of been inflicted with cancer,” he says.

According to Dr Parker, many people are not fortunate to receive treatment. This idea initiated the exercise in an attempt to beat cancer in a small way as far as we can. In essence, the distance will be 560km.  

He said there would be an overnight stay at every stop. An exercise of social upliftment will also be conducted to engage the people in the little areas to inspire and increase their awareness of cancer.

He added they have managed to mass together 450 food hampers in hopes of distributing 50 food hampers at each of the towns where the stops are made.

He says, “It is commendable how for the sake of community upliftment and making a difference in the lives of those where it matters most. Young people have come out and train around 10 to 15 hours a week.”

The R2 million is raised primarily in two fractions. The first consists of family members, friends or someone in our community sponsoring a cyclist while many other people have volunteered and contributed to the Wheel to Heal fund.

Listen below to the interview with Mufti Yusuf Moosaie and Dr Elias Parker on Radio Islam’s podcast.