7000km, 7 days: Team Seven7 drives for children fighting cancer

Johannesburg - On Friday, September 22, Team Seven7 Drive made a late-afternoon stop at the Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital in Ga-Rankuwa to deliver gifts, cupcakes and good cheer to the children in the oncology ward and so ended a seven-day, 7 000km whirlwind journey through South Africa and some of its neighbouring countries.

7 000km in seven days

The journey, named Seven7 Drive, covers 7 000km in seven days to raise funds for a pre-selected charitable cause that supports children fighting cancer. Each year, donors are invited to donate R1 per kilometre, or any other amount, and these funds are collected and paid in full to this organisation.

For 2017, the Seven7 Drive team selected Cupcakes of Hope, a not-for-profit company that uses the universally loved symbol of cupcakes to raise funds and support children and their families who are fighting this disease.

The organisation supports over 700 families with anything, ranging from their medical bills to small acts of kindness to make their lives and dealing with this dire diagnosis easier.

Creator and expedition leader Danie Botha, the editor of Leisure Wheels said: "This is the third year that we have undertaken the journey with the help of Kia Motors SA and it is the first time that we have driven in a convoy of two cars.

“With two cars in convoy and more journalists and volunteers on each leg of the journey, we expected the trip to take much longer.

"This was not the case as everyone proved very capable and willing, and the Kia Souls, with their 1.6 CRDi turbo diesel engines, allowed us to drive for much longer distances before stopping.”

Danie was supported, as always, by fellow journalist G.G. van Rooyen, while journalists, celebrities and volunteers joined them on different legs of the journey.

This year, Team Seven7 Drive’s journey took them to Upington, Windhoek, Gaborone, Maputo, Mokhotlong (Lesotho), Port Elizabeth and ultimately Ga-Rankuwa in Pretoria. The two Souls each clocked 6 880 trouble-free kilometres, even though they had to travel some pretty harsh roads, such as the Sani Pass between the Lesotho and South African border.

Kia Soul

Kia Motors SA's Christo Valentyn, says: “We chose the Soul for its frugal diesel engine and versatility. It has impressed us no end, lugging toys, food and brochures on the early detection of cancer in children as well as our crew from the western to the eastern coast of Africa and back." 

Valentyn joined the convoy for the first part of the journey from the KIA Head Office in Edenvale to Maputo, before handing over to his colleague, Randy Robertson, who supported the team to the end.

Other organisations participating in the event included Bridgestone South Africa (Ecopia EP200 tyres), Tracker (live tracking), Mediaserve (logistics, fund raising and marketing support), Horizon Global (finisher bars and tow bar) and 4x4 Mega World (IPF driving lights).