Stellenbosch University Medical students to cycle 902 km to ‘help our friends become doctors’

A team of Stellenbosch University (SU) medical students will embark on an ambitious 902km cycle tour from Vioolsdrift at the Namibian border to Cape Agulhas, the most Southern tip of Africa, from 1 to 8 December 2018.

Tuesday, 27 November 2018, marked 100 days of the Stellenbosch University’s #Move4Food campaign at SU – a student inspired initiative that aims to create food banks on the Stellenbosch and Tygerberg campuses to ensure that for the next three years, no Matie student will have to bear the indignity of going hungry.

“Our aim, to raise R10 million to build sustainable food banks at Stellenbosch University, is still paramount to our Centennial Drive,” says Ms Karen Bruns Senior Director: Development and Alumni Relations. “Although we have not reached our target yet, we received overwhelming support on various levels. For this reason we have decided to extend the campaign until 19 April 2019, in order to allow students, alumni and friends of the University further opportunity to pour their energy into reaching the target.”

We want to help our friends become doctors

Breda Reed, a Namibian national and third year medical student at Tygerberg, is pioneering the initiative with a group of four fellow students. “We want to help our friends become doctors. We don’t think it’s fair that some students drop out because they don’t have access to basic necessities.”

• Watch the students’ video of the project at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GysQdlfe4k&t=16s

The group aims to raise R100 000, primarily appealing to health care professionals, to help set up a fund that will be dedicated to ensuring that fellow medical students are not financially excluded. Prof Wim de Villiers, Rector and Vice Chancellor, who has a medical professional background, fully endorses the initiative and will ride with the group from Stellenbosch to Franschhoek.

De Villiers completed the Cape Town Cycle Race earlier this year to raise funds for bursaries.

“It is so heartening to see the passion and enthusiasm of our staff, students and alumni to drive student success at SU. The passion of these young men to do something to address the pertinent issue of student funding gaps is inspiring,” says De Villiers.

The group consists of Breda Reed (Windhoek), Mias Marais (Ceres), Luke Titus (Worcester), and Christoff Greyling (Durbanville) – all students in medicine and Wonderboy Nkosi (Nelspruit) a student in dietetics

• Contribute to the “Hippocampus Fund” here: https://goo.gl/CF3DTH.
• Follow their trip by liking The Hippocampus Facebook page.
• Liaise with Karen Bruns at tel 021 808 4895, email kbruns@sun.ac.za for more information or with Breda Reed at cell 076 938 9038, email 20142412@sun.ac.za.
• PHOTO:  Hippocampus 1: Nkosi, Luke Titus, Breda Reed, Mias Marais and Christoff Greyling.
• Hippocampus 2:  Christoff Greyling,Wonderboy Nkosi, Mias Marais, Breda Reed, Luke Titus Prof Wim de Villiers (front).

Tour itinerary

November 30: Travel from Tygerberg campus to Vioolsdrift

December 1: Vioolsdrift to Springbok – 120km

Leaving at 04:00, Expected to arrive at 11:30

December 2: Springbok to Garries – 118km

Leaving at 04:00, Expected to arrive at 11:30

December 3: Garries to Vanrynsdorp – 148km

Leaving at 03:00, Expected to arrive at 11:45

December 4: Vanrynsdorp to Citrusdal – 133km

Leaving at 03:00, Expected to arrive at 11:00

December 5: Citrusdal to Malmesbury – 112km

Leaving at 04:00, Expected to arrive at 10:30

December 6: Malmesbury to Tygerberg Campus – 63km

Leaving at 04:00, Expected to arrive at 08:00

December 7: Tygerberg Campus to Caledon (Via Stellenbosch and Franschhoek) – 133km

Leaving at 04:30, Expected to arrive in Stellenbosch – 06:00; expected to arrive in Franschhoek at 08:00, expected to arrive in Caledon at 12:00

December 8: Caledon to Cape Agulhas  – 110km

Leaving at 04:00, Expected to arrive at 10:30

Source Stellenbosch University