Sea Point saw a splash of purple on Friday as men ventured out in their speedos to raise awareness about cancer. But this event wasn’t limited to one area, as groups of men across the country took to the streets to participate in the first ever COVID-edition national Hollard Daredevil Run 2021.
This amazing initiative started merely 12 years ago with one brave soul running through peak hour traffic in a speedo, and has since become a nationwide phenomenon, which raises funds towards prostate and testicular cancer awareness and screening.
“This is a run with a difference that makes a difference. The Hollard Daredevil Run has been a highlight on the South African social calendar since 2009, attracting thousands of brave men from all walks of life to do their part to raise awareness about male cancers,” says Heidi Brauer, Chief Marketing Officer at Hollard.
“At Hollard, we like to do things differently, to be bold, brave and ballsy. The act of stripping down to nothing but a speedo is not only challenging for runners, but also challenges stereotypes about male cancers. It takes courage to strip down to a speedo and run in public – but that’s the whole idea,” she says.
“The Hollard Daredevil Run challenges 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”.
This year, the event, which usually takes place in Johannesburg, attracted participants from every corner of the country including the involvement of individuals, high schools, universities, corporates, running clubs and fitness associations.
Celebrities who supported the cause included rugby player Danny Kriel in Hilton, South African singer, songwriter, and record producer King Monada in Tzaneen, and international sports conditioning specialist, performance coach and JEFF Fitness founder, Johno Meintjes in Cape Town.
From teams participating in rural villages and communities, a team of game rangers running in the Kruger National Park and Parliamentary runners taking part in Cape Town to a team in the Kalahari Desert pounding the roads of Kathu, the Hollard Daredevil Run 2021 reached far and wide.
All proceeds from the annual Hollard Daredevil Run goes to the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) and the Prostate Cancer Foundation of South Africa towards awareness and screening of prostate and testicular cancer.
The uptake by so many high schools and universities this year reinforced the power of young men rallying together to spread important cancer awareness messaging. This is particularly relevant given that testicular cancer is the most common cancer in young men aged between 15 – 39, and can affect men of all races. The survival rate of stage 1 testicular cancer can be as high as 100%, making early detection and prompt action vital.
Prostate cancer is the most common male cancer and is on the rise. According to global research, one in every six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, with the risk of prostate cancer increasing with age. Early diagnosis can mean a 95% chance of being cured.
Most South Africans know someone affected by prostate or testicular cancer. The bottom line is that early detection saves lives. Any members of the public wanting to support these purple cancer warriors can go to www.daredevilrun.com to donate further funds towards cancer awareness and screening initiatives.
For more information about prostate and testicular cancer, go to https://prostate-ca.co.za/ or https://cansa.org.za/.
Picture/s: Supplied