A Parow Valley resident, Johandie de Kock, is dusting off her running shoes in preparation for the upcoming Two Oceans Marathon.
This will however not be an attempt to break records or win a gold medal, but rather an attempt to help the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital’s RX Radio stay on air. The hospital is located in Rondebosch, Cape Town.
The RX Radio team and reporters are still fighting to keep the beloved station on air and are showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. In November 2022 the radio station, run by and for children, launched a #saverxradio campaign; however despite the call to encourage people to donate, the station still faces the risk of closure, Johandie says.
Support
Johandie, who is studying towards her degree in accounting, stumbled across the station during the campaign and immediately knew that it was a cause she wanted to support.
The station has opened its doors to allow children with, and without chronic conditions to have a sense of community and know that there are others at the forefront fighting for their right to have their voices heard, she concludes.
In her plight to help keep the radio station on air she will be participating in the Two Oceans Half Marathon taking place on Sunday 16 April, in order to help raise funds for the station.
A BackABuddy page have also been created. Visit www.backabuddy.co.za/champion/project/keep-rx-radio-on-air to make a donation.
In her personal message on the page, Johandie writes that RX Radio has trained 135 child and young reporters aged four to eight years at the hospital, Paarl Hospital as well as the Brooklyn Chest Hospital.
“I came across the station and immediately knew it was a cause I wanted to support.”
The fundraising target is set at R250 000. Last week a total of R1 550 had been donated by the public. The Cape Town Two Oceans Full Marathon takes place on Saturday 15 April.
