PEDIATRIC Care Africa is gearing up for its 2025 “Ride for a Child” charity motorbike journey, an effort to bridge the gap between healthcare accessibility and children in need. Spanning 7000km and circumnavigating South Africa, this momentous event hopes to recruit private General Practitioners in every town along the route.
This initiative forms part of their “Doctors for Children” drive, aiming to provide vital pro bono medical support to underprivileged children.
Mandy Pieters, PCA’s dedicated event planner, highlighted the significance of this initiative, “Our goal is to ‘recruit’, as a matter of speech, volunteer private General Practitioners in every town we travel through. Each volunteer GP will be requested to assist two children per year on a pro bono basis that we at Pediatric Care Africa refer to them.”
The ambitious plan seeks to enable over 300 underprivileged South African children annually to consult with a Private General Practitioner. The volunteers will provide essential diagnoses and prescriptions, with PCA stepping in to fund necessary medication, lab tests, or X-rays if required.
“We aim to create the facility and have a further 300 additional underprivileged South African children per year consult a Private General Practitioner,” explained Pieters. “Furthermore, it is important to generate funds for surgeries, medical treatment, and baby food/milk for underprivileged children requiring surgeries, medical treatment or who are in food distress.”
Participating motorcycle clubs and individuals are encouraged to engage in fund-raising activities, with complete freedom to decide on how to aid in raising funds for children’s surgeries and medical treatments. “Many clubs or groups have members who are doctors, so we need their help, as there are literally thousands of children in our country that need to see a doctor,” Pieters said.
The 22-day journey commences on February 9, 2025, in Oudtshoorn, Western Cape. Dr J. André Hattingh, PCA’s Founder and Chairman, will lead the ride on a Road King Harley Davidson, accompanied by a support vehicle and a spare motorcycle. Dr Hattingh’s dedication to the cause has seen him travel distances equivalent to the Earth’s circumference over previous rides.
Supporters are invited to sponsor the ride per kilometre, with options starting at R1 per km, or to make a one-time donation. “Absolutely every child deserves to have access to proper and professional medical care,” insisted Pieters.
Over the past seven years, the “Ride for a Child” initiative has facilitated surgeries, provided medical outreach, imported essential medical equipment, and established world-class paediatric facilities, thanks to the unwavering support of the biker community in South Africa. “Supporters of our ‘Ride for a Child’ annual charity motorbike ride, have made it possible for us to assist dozens of children,” Pieters acknowledged. This year, the ride wraps up on March 2, back in Oudtshoorn, after an extensive loop that touches South Africa’s most remote and accessible points. It is a solemn yet empowering gesture, “an imaginary circle around the children in South Africa, to show them that we care,” said Pieters.
For inquiries or to join the ride, interested parties can reach out to Mandy Pieters at events@pediatriccareafrica.org or WhatsApp her at 072 034 0544.
