PinkDrive ambassadors excited to share their journey at the Totalsports Women’s Race

Several PinkDrive ambassadors will share their journey with thousands of runners and walkers at SA’s largest Women’s Day celebration, the iconic Totalsports Women’s Race that will take place across three cities on Wednesday 09 August 2023.

Cindy van Wyk (Ferndale, Johannesburg) was PinkDrive’s guest speaker in 2022 and will eagerly be back this year. Diagnosed with cancer in 2014, Van Wyk became a PinkDrive ambassador the same year.

“I love the Totalsports Women’s Race,” says Van Wyk. “It is a fantastic initiative, and I am deeply grateful to be part of an event that makes it possible for PinkDrive to do what they do. My message to entrants is to take control of your health, do your breast examinations, go for your mammograms and if you find a lump or a bump have it checked out and seen to immediately. Fight the fear! Fifty percent of the battle is won through medicine and fifty percent is fought in the mind.”

“I was diagnosed with an aggressive ductal carcinoma in my right breast in August 2014. It was early Type 2, which meant it had spread into one lymph node under my right arm,” confirms Van Wyk. “I underwent a bilateral mastectomy and had ten lymph nodes removed combined with an aggressive treatment protocol of both chemo and radiation. As with most newly diagnosed cancer patients, I was shocked, but I was not going to give up. I rallied up my friends and my family members in support of my battle. The biggest fight of my life came paired with physical and emotional pain and the adjustments that went with it.”

“I had to learn to accept and love myself again, to look at the scars on my chest not as disfiguration but a reminder of the battle I was victorious in,” continues Van Wyk. “The scars are a daily reminder of my precious gifts called life and health. I remain cancer free and committed to speaking, mentoring, teaching, and working with PinkDrive. I will celebrate my health by taking part in the Totalsports Women’s Race in Johannesburg. I can’t wait to be part of the celebration and share my story with entrants.”

“We are thankful for the generous donation that we received from the Totalsports Women’s Race in 2022,” says Nelius du Preez, PinkDrive National Marketing and Event Co-Ordinator. “We had a goal to purchase a new mammogram machine. The funds raised helped us to reach our goal. We’ve had so many ladies come through for breast examinations over the years. Those are lives touched and changed. The Totalsports Women’s Race enables PinkDrive to ensure that our service continues benefitting communities across South Africa. We appreciate the opportunity to spread the message that ‘Early detection will help to prolong life’.”

PinkDrive will be present at the Totalsports Women’s Race in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban offering FREE clinical breast examinations and educating on the importance of self-breast examinations.

EVENT INFORMATION: 2023 Totalsports Women’s Race  

A fun filled Women’s Day celebration, the Totalsports Women’s Race encourages a healthy lifestyle and invites all women (grandmothers, aunts, sisters, mothers and daughters) to run united in support of PinkDrive.

EACH ENTRY INCLUDES: Each entrant will receive a fitted Event T-shirt and finisher’s medal, while getting to enjoy an entertaining route with vibrant refreshment points and a Live Performance at the finish.

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For more information on PinkDrive visit www.pinkdrive.org For further information or to enter the Totalsports Women’s Race visit www.totalsportswomensrace.co.za