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StepUp500 helps children step into a brighter future
StepUp500 helps children step into a brighter future
On the 29 November 2014 KwaZulu-Natal Sports Personality of the Year, Tyrone Pillay hosted the StepUp500 Challenge for a second consecutive year to raise funds for children living with amputations. The para-athlete, who was also named the provinces Sportsman of the Year with a Disability, planned to climb the 500 steps of Moses Mabhida Stadium on the day for a cause close to his heart - the Jumping Kids Prosthetic Fund.
Despite being unable to climb himself due to a serious bout of the flu, Pillay was impressed by the total number of participants that arrived at Moses Mabhida Stadium in support of the cause. One of the highlights of the day was when 16 year old bilateral lower limb amputee; Renetsie Manyoni climbed the 500 steps using his hands. It was truly inspiring, not to mention motivating, to witness this young man achieve the climb with such ease.
A grand total of R79000 was raised which will go a long way towards supporting another two local kids to gain access to advanced prosthetic limbs. Jumping Kids is a non-profit organisation that supplies prosthetic solutions to children living with lower extremity amputations or similar conditions.The initiative is assisting more than 70 children from across South Africa of which six are learners at Durban's Open Air School.
Being a prosthetic user himself from a young age, Pillay understands the value that access to latest technology can add to the life of a child facing the challenges that he faced growing up.
"Even though we weren't able to raise the R250000 that we set out to raise, many great things were achieved. A total of 62 climbers took up the challenge and got to see the miracles of mobility. A big thank you to all that have supported & contributed towards this amazing initiative," says Pillay.
To find out how to get involved in the StepUp500 Challenge or to contribute to Jumping Kids contact tyrone.pillay@gmail.com