Carina’s charity initiative Swim For Hope, an extreme group swim around Cape Point in support of the Little Fighters Cancer Trust, has exceeded all expectations with over R115,000 being raised, and both male and female records being broken, Carina’s own female record from 2004 having been bettered by herself.
PRESS RELEASE
Read the full press release here, and visit www.swimforhope.co.za for more information
All fourteen swimmers who on 6 March participated in Swim For Hope 2014 – an extreme open water swim around Cape Point – successfully complete the 8km swim, while both the male and female records for the route were broken.
The Cape Point rounding, which is widely regarded as one of the most extreme open water swims in the world, was done in support of the Little Fighters Cancer Trust, a local charity that offers support to children with cancer and their families. The group entered the water at Diaz Beach just after 09:00, having to negotiate a heavy surf before heading towards the point through rough waters ranging between 12.5 and 16 degrees Celcius. The swim was carried out in accordance with open water and English Channel swimming rules: only a single swimsuit (no wetsuit), cap and goggles may be worn, and swimmers have to start and end on land without ever making physical contact with any members of the support crew or the boat. Anthony Pearse was the first swimmer to finish in a time of 1h41, taking 21 minutes off the previous record which was jointly held by himself and UK swimmer Ned Denison. Carina Bruwer chipped 2 minutes off her 2004 female record time, finishing in a time of 2h18.
Other finishers were Capetonians Justin Coetzee in 2h13, Neil Hopkins in 2h17, Toni Enderli and Martin Vleggaar in 2h35, Monika Hayes, Rouen Smit and Chris Westcott in 2h38, Charl Cilliers and Clinton Le Sueur in 2h45 and Lindsay de Kock in 3h58. Johannesburg swimmers Richard Child finished in 3h08, and Colin Gluch in 2h46. These swimmers from all walks of life share a passion for the ocean and a commitment to doing good. Richard Child is now the oldest swimmer to have successfully rounded Cape Point, at the age of 61.
Carina Bruwer from the SAMA award-winning group Sterling EQ, initiated Swim For Hope with a solo rounding last year, and decided to turn it into an invitational in order to increase fundraising potential. She said, after finishing the grueling swim: “I’m so happy everything went well; the conditions at the start did not look too promising but fortunately it improved once we rounded the point. I’m so proud of all the brave swimmers, especially Richard and Lindsay who put up a valiant effort”. Mandie Erasmus, project manager of Little Fighters Cancer Trust said: “There are not adequate words in the English vocabulary to express the emotional aspect of watching these selfless individuals fighting to beat the natural forces as well as break through their own physical limits. This, to me, mirrors the fight children with cancer and their families face every day. These 14 swimmers are all undisputable heroes, and we are thank everyone involved in making this a safe and hugely successful open water swimming event. We are very proud to be associated with this historical event, being the largest group attempt to round Cape Point in history. Swim for Hope will return in 2015”
Corporates as well as members of the public are encouraged to sponsor and donate, using the “BackaBuddy” website (www.backabuddy.co.za). Corporate sponsors can also contact Little Fighters Cancer Trust directly on 073 729 6155 or mandie@littlefighters.org.za for organizational information such as taxation and BEE benefits, as the organization is a registered NPO with PBO status.
All moneys raised will go towards the Little Fighters Cancer Trust’s BAG OF HOPE Project. A bag of hope provides essentials for both the Child with Cancer and his/her mother or bedside care-giver, with items such as toiletries, pyjamas, non-perishable food, educational toys, blankets and sanitary products, making a challenging and prolonged hospital stay just a bit more comfortable. LFCT is operational in 11 main paediatric oncology treatment centres throughout South Africa, including the Western Cape, Gauteng, Kwazulu Natal, Eastern Cape and Free State.
WEB LINKS:
Swim For Hope: www.swimforhope.co.za
Little Fighters Cancer Trust: www.littlefighters.org.za
Carina Bruwer: www.carina.co.za / www.sterlingeq.co.za
SOCIAL MEDIA
Swim for Hope: www.facebook.com/lfctswimforhope / www.twitter.com/lfctswimforhope
Little Fighters Cancer Trust: http:/www.facebook.com/Little.Fighters / www.twitter.com/LFCancerTrust
Carina Bruwer: www.facebook.com/carinabruwerofficial / www.facebook.com/sterlingeqofficial
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC will be administered on:
http://www.backabuddy.co.za/champion/project/swim-for-hope
CONTACT:
For media information, photos and interview requests please contact:
Mandie Erasmus
Project Manager, Little Fighters Cancer Trust
Phone: +27 73 729 6155| Email: mandie@littlefighters.org.za |
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N O T E S T O T H E E D I T O R
1. The Little Fighters Cancer Trust supports children diagnosed with cancer and their families, by offering wide variety of individualized assistance, including, but not restricted to, provision of food and groceries, transport, clothing, furnishings, bedding, medication, medical equipment and 24 hour emotional support.
2. Parents of diagnosed children often lose or leave their jobs to be able to provide the special care and support required, which, together with the huge emotional strain of having a terminally sick child, often disables the family financially and emotionally. Little Fighters steps in to help create a support system in order for the children and their families to maintain their dignity, and with it, provide hope.
3. Promoting and advocating Childhood Cancer Awareness is another of Little Fighters Cancer Trust’s priorities. Childhood Cancer is responsible for more child deaths than HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis combined. (South African Tumor Registry, 2011) Less than one third of actual childhood cancer cases are recorded in South Africa. Many children are misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all due to a lack of awareness concerning the Early Warning Signs of Childhood Cancer. An increase in Awareness, also among medical staff, will lead to earlier diagnosis of childhood cancer cases, resulting in a higher percentage of survivors.
4. One of the organization’s most tangible projects is “Bag of Hope”, through which they distribute bags filled with essential provisions to cancer children and their mothers at hospitals in the main Pediatric Oncology treatment centers in the Western Cape and Gauteng. Each bag costs R650, and should Swim For Hope reach its goal of R100,000, LFCT would be able to support pediatric 3 hospital wards with Bags of Hope for the cancer child and his / her mother. Bags are individualized according to the needs of the specific little patient.
5. Sterling EQ is a South African instrumental pop group lead by Carina Bruwer on flute, with Luca Hart on electric violin and Ariella Caira on electric cello. The three-piece has performed over 800 shows in 11 countries, released 3 albums and a live DVD, and won 3 major music awards, most notably a 2011 South Afircan Music Award.