The tireless work of South African non-profit organisation Reach for Recovery (R4R) is funded each year by the Power of Pink campaign, a South African Mushroom Farmers’ Association’s (SAMFA) initiative. R1 from every pink punnet of fresh mushrooms sold nationally at Pick n Pay stores during October is donated to R4R’s Ditto Project.  The sole objective of this very special project is to provide free silicone prostheses to breast cancer survivors who cannot afford reconstruction after the life altering and heartbreaking reality of a mastectomy.

Launched in 2011, the Power of Pink campaign has resulted in just under 8000 silicone prostheses provided to financially strapped breast cancer survivors at a cost of more than R5,5 million. “To our astonishment,” exclaims Stephné Jacobs, Reach for Recovery’s National Chairperson, “2020 saw the highest amount raised since the campaign’s inception.  Big hearted South Africans contributed just under R700 000.00 despite their own financial hardships brought on by a year of lockdowns and job cuts. We and the Ditto Project recipients have been truly humbled by this generosity.”

“We couldn’t be prouder of our association with Reach for Recovery’s Ditto Project,” adds SAMFA Chairperson, Ross Richardson. “The dedication of every R4R volunteer – a breast cancer survivor herself – and the immense kindness of all South Africans who support the campaign is such restorative testimony to the goodness that lives in people.”

“Courage is grace under pressure,” said Ernest Hemingway in a 1929 interview with poet Dorothy Parker for The New Yorker magazine. He, of course, was right. Over these difficult Covid-19 years, it’s a mantra that has fuelled and furthered R4R’s most delicate of work, performed out of the public eye. “Lockdown regulations and the vulnerable health of breast cancer survivors in need brought about new challenges for R4R and our Ditto Project,” explains Stephné. “But being survivors ourselves, we realised very quickly that we could and must continue with our services in other ways! As we have done for 53 years, we continued our work with the assistance of advanced technology.

Our organisation’s Peer Support Services passionately offered ongoing much needed support via telephone, WhatsApp, and video conferencing. I am proud to be able to say that we were able to comfort women who not only went through mastectomies but who would also have had to live through the dreadful experience in complete isolation if we were not at the other end for them!”

Whilst fresh mushrooms and breast cancer have a strong humanitarian connection in South Africa, there is another scientific link between fresh mushrooms and the fight against breast cancer. In 2010, the Beckman Institute at the City of Hope Cancer Centre in California found that eating just 10g of mushrooms a day more than halved people’s risk of developing breast cancer.

That’s means eating just one fresh mushroom a day, a staggeringly easy step in self-care to avoid the ravages of such a terrible disease.  So, in 2021 let’s once again take courage together, for each of our own health and the restoration of breast cancer survivors. Let’s once again purchase fresh mushrooms in pink punnets at Pick n Pay stores from September 20 this year in an extended Power of Pink campaigns that will run until the end of October.

For more information, please contact Gina McLoughlin on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 0824137538.

Alternatively go to SAMFA’s website: www.mushroominfo.co.za

An annual Zumbathon event, which aims to showcase a gigantic outdoor Zumba class in Cape Town while some of the proceeds benefit a worthy cause, is set to take place in March this year.

The Zumbathon For A Cause sport and recreation event will see participants engage in a two-hour Zumba session on Saturday 3 March, at Good Hope Seminary School in Vredehoek.Zumbathon For A Cause attracts Zumba enthusiasts from all ages and walks of life to participate in what is considered as the biggest Zumba class in South Africa.Some of the proceeds of this year's event will benefit Hope Cape Town – the Cape Town-based organisation that dedicates its efforts to fight against inform about and help victims of HIV and Aids).

According to Zumbathon For A Cause organiser, Didier Moestus, this year's event is looking to create more awareness around World Aids Day and people affected by or living with the disease in The Western Cape.“Our team conducted research regarding who the best organisation was involved with informing, helping and preventing HIV and Aids education and we were touched by Hope Cape Town and the work that they do. We actually met with some of the children who come from families devastated by this disease and it was an eye opener for us. Hope Cape Town's dedication to save lives is authentic and touching but also, they are doing it with a smile on their face,” he says.

Tickets for this year's event are priced at R100 each for online purchases while tickets purchased on the day will cost R130 each. Children under 15 accompanied with an adult, or with an ID, will enter for R50 each.Group tickets (10 tickets minimum), are available at R75 per person.

The theme colour of this year's Zumbathon For A Cause event is purple and pink, and all Zumba lovers, fitness fans, moms, and personalities who want just an excuse to smile and dance in the morning, are encouraged to join in on the fun on the day.

Says Moestus: “Participants can look forward to two outdoor classes of Zumba, as well as a great opportunity to meet new faces and network in the process. We have a number of great prizes on offer too, so all around the family-centered event will be a fun day out for the entire family.”Moestus adds that Zumbathon for A Cause is targeted at people who relate to wellness and health, as well as everyone who wants to make a contribution to fight for Aids awareness.

Renowned SA Zumba instructor, Lucas Mthenjane, will spear-head the event as the main Zumba instructor on the outdoor stage.“Lucas is like a Zumba guru on this continent, and he has travelled the world to learn new aspects of that discipline throughout the years of his practise and is the only one who gives license to Zumba instructors in South Africa. We are very proud to have him involved with us. He is the engine of this event and we are really impressed with his passion, enthusiasm and creativity for this discipline,” says Moestus.

For more details about Zumbathon For A Cause, you can email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit:www.zumbathonforacause.co.zaFor more details about Hope Cape Town, visit: https://www.hopecapetown.com

Do also check out Zumbathon For A Cause on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Zumbathon-For-A-Cause-2035606090059935/

Instagram: @zumbathonforacause

Twitter: @ZumbaForACause

- ENDS -

Please forward requests for further information, hi-res photographs or interview opportunities to:

Clayton Morar (Publicist)
Mobile: + 27 74 194 1766
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

KWAZULU-NATAL, BALLITO, 19^th JULY 2016 – This weekend, 16-17 July, saw the Jeep Warrior series Race 4 of 8 take place in KwaZulu-Natal at Sugar Rush Park in Ballito, with over 3500 competitors all racing to get the opportunity to drive off in a brand new Jeep until the next Jeep Warrior event, should they hit the top spot on the podium in the Black Ops Elite category.

Sugar Rush Park saw some unusual rain prior to the race, making many of the obstacles slippery and immensely challenging, physically and mentally, but the Jeep OCR Team, Thomas Van Tonder, Jay Jay Deysel, Joshua Masudi, Carina Marx and Hlubi Mboya, faced up to the challenge and excelled.

In the Black Ops Elite Men’s Race, Jeep Team star racer, Thomas van Tonder, took top spot on the podium with a time of 01h40, over 30 minutes ahead of his biggest rival, KeyHealth Nevarest team racer, Greg Avierinos, in a time of 02h11, with fellow Jeep Team racer, Jay Jay Deysel, in 3^rd place in 02h13, rounding off the Jeep Team’s solid achievements in the top elite race.

Jeep Team’s Joshua Masudi, also raced in Black Ops Elites, but cramped half way ending his race for podium.

Women’s Black Ops Elites, who compete over the same course as the men’s Black Ops Elites, had Jeep Team’s up-and-coming OCR star, Carina Marx, competing and nursing an injury, but achieving a respectable 5th place overall in a time of 02h29.

Jeep Team’s celebrity competitor, Hlubi Mboya, competed in the Commando Elite Women’s Race, and says of her race, “This was one of the hardest Warrior Races I have ever competed in. It took me two hours but I refused to give up my band and be disqualified, even when it meant trying to complete an obstacle over and over again.” Mboya’s inspiring tenacity saw her just short of a Top 10 place in the Commando Elites.

The Jeep Team will be competing in Jeep Warrior Race 5, which takes place from 20 - 21 August 2016 at Hazeldean Valley in Pretoria.

RESULTS

BLACK OPS ELITE - MEN

1. THOMAS VAN TONDER - 01:40:07
2. GREG AVIERINOS - 02:11:32
3. JAY JAY DEYSEL - 02:13:26
4. CLINT PRETORIUS - 02:23:40
5. ANRICH ZIMMERMAN - 02:23:45

BLACK OPS ELITE - WOMEN

1. HANNEKE DANNHAUSER - 02:13:26
2. TRISH BAHLMANN - 02:15:43
3. DOMINIQUE DOLIVEIRA - 02:16:49
4. SABRINA DAOLIO - 02:23:32
5. CARINA MARX - 02:59:26

COMMANDO ELITE - MEN

1. MICHAEL ROSS - 00:51:42
2. CALEN HASTIE - 00:51:53
3. GARETH MARQUISS - 00:56:01
4. JASON FRIEDMAN - 00:56:01
5. DARREN MARQUISS - 00:57:28

COMMANDO ELITE - WOMEN

1. DANIELLA LUSHINGTON - 01:21:17
2. CINDY WILLS - 01:30:23
3. TARYN STRYDOM - 01:32:46
4. KAELEE LUSHINGTON - 01:33:07
5. AMOR BEYERSBERGEN - 01:33:42

ROOKIE ELITE - MEN

1. ADRIAN ROUSSEL - 00:31:41
2. SHELDON CROUWKAMP - 00:32:00
3. RICHARD EKSTEEN - 00:33:17

ROOKIE ELITES - WOMEN

1. CHANTE HABIB - 00:40:49
2. LEONIE VAN ZYL - 00:42:09
3. KRISTY VAN DER MERWE - 00:43:07

Jeep #Warrior5 - Pretoria – Hazeldean Valley - 20 Aug – 21 Aug
Jeep #Warrior6 - Nelspruit – Kwanyoni Lodge - 24 Sept – 25 Sept
Jeep #Warrior7 - Meerendal, Western Cape - 22 Oct -23 Oct
Jeep #Warrior8 - Pretoria - Legend MX - 19 Nov – 20 Nov

Editor’s Notes

All photo credits: ZC Marketing Consulting

ABOUT THE JEEP WARRIOR SERIES

The Jeep Warrior Race is South Africa’s largest obstacle course race series that spans eight events across four provinces.

The series burst onto the scene in 2013 and immediately spearheaded the meteoric rise of obstacle racing in South Africa. It quickly grew to up to 9000 participants per event and remains at the forefront of the growth spurt in the new sport of obstacle racing with its larger than life obstacles and innovative courses to challenge South Africans.

What makes Jeep Warrior Race so popular, is that anyone can participate - all you need is a pair of old running shoes and a great sense for adventure.

To find out more, go to the Jeep Warrior website - www.warrior.co.za. To keep up with the action, like Jeep Warrior’s Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/thewarriorrace - or follow the event on Twitter - https://twitter.com/thewarriorrace.