The 2024 Seven7 Drive gears up for an epic cross-country drive in aid of kids with cancer
Taking place annually in September – Childhood Cancer Awareness Month – the cross-country drive is the flagship fundraiser for the Seven7 Drive NPC.
Image supplied by Seven7 Drive
Now a standalone non-profit organisation with a renewed focus on making a tangible difference in the lives of kids with cancer, the 2024 Seven7 Drive, now in its 9th year, is set to embark on an epic cross-country drive next week.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in children aged one to 14, and continues to rise globally. It is estimated that as many as one in 408 children will be diagnosed with cancer before the age of 15 across the globe. Many of South Africa’s academic hospitals have paediatric oncology units, but due to a continued lack of awareness around the benefits of early detection, the survival rate amongst diagnosed cases remain dismally low. The Seven7 Drive aims to increase awareness about the benefits of early detection while simultaneously delivering hope and supplies to kids in seven hospitals across South Africa.
Featuring a new route to incorporate more provinces and hospitals across the country, the 2024 Seven7 Drive will start at the Charlotte Maxeke Hospital in Johannesburg on Sunday, 15 September 2024, and will visit Pietermaritzburg in Kwa-Zulu Natal, Bloemfontein in the Free State, Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape, Cape Town in the Western Cape, Kimberley in the Northern Cape, and Polokwane in Limpopo in the week that follows, concluding at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital in the City of Tshwane on Saturday, 21 September 2024.
The NPC is spearheaded by Danie Botha (owner of BoBo Productions, a company that specialises in television productions and adventure events and one of the original co-founders of the Seven7 Drive), supported by Ziphorah Masethe (IgnitionTV presenter and producer), Christo Valentyn (former journalist and current head of marketing for Kia South Africa), and Khulekani Dumisa (founder and owner of KOW Media).
“With the combined expertise of the new board, and support from the South African motoring industry, Seven7 Drive will be able to help more kids, more regularly,”
says Botha.
The challenging current economic conditions has added some strain to the planning of the 2024 Seven7 Drive, but the organisers are thankful for the support received from the automotive industry for this year’s drive.
“This year’s drive will include a total of five vehicles, ranging from a 1.2-litre cargo van to some delectable compact SUVs, a double cab bakkie to a hardcore 4x4 with mud terrain tyres,”
says Seven7 Drive founding member, Danie Botha.
Kia has been a partner to the Seven7 Drive since its first iteration in 2015, and will again be participating in the drive – this time with two vehicles, the latest Kia Sonet and Kia Seltos.
The Seven7 Drive is also excited to welcome new partners to this year’s drive in the form of Toyota, who will be participating with the new Hilux 48V hybrid double-cab, while Stellantis is participating with a JEEP Gladiator Rubicon and Hyundai will be participating with the versatile Hyundai Venue Cargo.
These vehicles will be driven throughout the trip by Botha and Masethe, supported by rally legend, Hannes Grobler, who joins the crew for the second year and ILS medic George Wright. A videography crew will film and document the Drive for broadcast on IgnitionTV.
“As per Seven7 tradition we will be steering clear of main roads as best we can, and stick to lesser driven routes. There have been reports about snow near Lesotho, so that could get interesting, especially in the front-wheel drive vehicles. But an adventure is not an adventure without a few stories to tell, so we are up for the challenge,”
says Seven7 Drive founding member, Danie Botha.
The Seven7 Drive also extends its heartfelt gratitude to several other sponsors who have contributed to this year’s drive. These include:
- Freshive Digital, who has graciously developed Seven7 Drive’s website;
- IgnitionTV, who has graciously donated airtime to broadcast an insert on this year’s drive;
- Wilna Moolman and the community from Kareedouw in the Eastern Cape, who have graciously sponsored a dinner for the crew at Norma Jean’s Diner and accommodation at Assegaaibosch Country Lodge en route from Gqeberha to Cape Town;
- Road Lodge, Kimberley, for the accommodation of the team.
