Official handover of proceeds from the 2022 Hollard Daredevil Run celebrates the brave men who ran through the streets of South Africa in purple speedos to make a difference.

The 2022 Hollard Daredevil Run attracted participants from every corner of the country, from Melkbostrand and La Mercy to Mashamba and Motherwell, and hundreds of places in between. Thousands of brave daredevils took part in over 450 locations countrywide on 30 September, in an initiative which included the return of the much-loved Zoo Lake event.

This event, which sees men running 5km dressed only in purple speedos, challenges stereotypes about male cancers and starts conversations about understanding prostate and testicular cancer, how to lower cancer risk and how to catch it early. Held on 30 September 2022, the event saw thousands of individuals taking part, along with teams from high schools, universities, running clubs, fitness associations and a number of corporates.

With these runners raising more funds than ever, representatives from Hollard were last week able to present a total of R 700 000 to the Cancer Association of South Africa and the Prostate Cancer Foundation of South Africa. The funds raised will go towards raising awareness of prostate and testicular cancer, as well as increased screening initiatives.

“To the Cancer Association of South Africa and the Prostate Cancer Foundation, thank you for partnering with Daredevil for so many years, for the amazing work that you do and for the endless support that you provide for those suffering from cancer,” says Joana Mondon, Head: Group Brand and Marketing at Hollard.

“Funds raised by the Hollard Daredevil Run and donated to the Prostate Cancer Foundation are used to help raise awareness about prostate cancer and the importance of age- and risk-appropriate screening, to ensure that the disease is diagnosed in the early stages when it is potentially curable,” says Andrew Oberholzer, CEO of the Prostate Cancer Foundation of South Africa. If detected early, men have a 95% chance of being cured from prostate cancer.

“One of the biggest challenges that we face is that prostate cancer screening is not easily available to many South African men even though a simple blood test, called a PSA test, can help identify the disease. In 2023 we’ll be embarking on more widespread PSA testing campaigns so that men who wouldn’t normally have access to a PSA test can have one. Funding from the Hollard Daredevil Run may well end up saving lives, as prostate cancer that’s treated in the early stages has an excellent cure rate,” he says.

Oberholzer says that prostate cancer is set to become the most common cancer in South Africa by 2030. “This is hardly surprising as black African men have a 60% higher risk of being diagnosed with prostate cancer than their white counterparts. What is even more disturbing, is that South African men get a more aggressive, faster growing type of cancer than black American men,” he says.

The incidence of testicular cancer, a cancer that primarily affects young men between the age of 15-40 years, has doubled in the last 50 years. Once again, early detection and knowing the risks is key.

“This campaign is ahead of its time, encouraging men to take responsibility for their own health in a way that is fun and innovative,” says Joanie Sader, Corporate Relationship Coordinator at CANSA. “Through CANSA's partnership with Hollard, we reach thousands of men and women each year with the Hollard ManVan that is operated with funds received from the Hollard Daredevil Run, empowering them with the knowledge and resources they need to play their part in creating a cancer-free world".

“At Hollard, we are all about providing for better futures, which is why the Daredevil Run is such an important event to us. Early detection saves lives. Catching prostate and testicular cancer early means better futures for those men affected by these cancers, better futures for their families, and, ultimately, better futures for communities around the country,” says Mondon.

“We will continue to challenge South African men to confront male cancers head-on by showing that they’re not afraid to run in a speedo, not afraid to talk about cancer and not afraid to get checked.

We will continue to be different in order to make a difference, and we’ll continue to be passionate catalysts of positive change,” says Heidi Brauer, Chief Marketing Officer at Hollard.

Anyone interested in finding out more about the 2023 Hollard Daredevil Run, or wanting to be kept up to date with the event plans for later this year, is urged to follow Daredevil Run on Facebook.