Germiston resident launches cross-country lupus awareness campaign
Lambton resident to cycle from Johannesburg to Cape Town for National Lupus Awareness.
Germiston resident Levy Mokoena is turning personal grief into national action by undertaking an extraordinary cross-country endurance campaign to raise awareness about lupus in South Africa.
Titled ‘A Ride for Lupus. A Run for Lupus’, the campaign will see Mokoena cycle from Johannesburg to Cape Town before competing in the Two Oceans Ultra Marathon.
The campaign will officially launch on October 29 at the Lupus Clinic inside Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital.
ALSO READ: Ekurhuleni launches winter fire safety awareness campaign
The venue choice highlights the critical link between public awareness, early diagnosis, treatment, and community support for a condition that remains widely misunderstood.
The physical phase of the journey will begin on March 16 next year outside Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital.
Lambton resident Mokoena will cycle across multiple provinces, conducting awareness activations, community interviews, and educational drives along the route.
The cycling leg will conclude in Cape Town on April 2, 2027, followed two days later by Mokoena running the Two Oceans Ultra Marathon on April 4.
“The initiative was born out of my personal experience losing my late wife, Thato Boshielo Mokoena, who lived with lupus for over a decade,” said Mokoena.
ALSO READ: Germiston-born runner tackles 50 half-marathons for ADHD awareness
“Shared long-distance running had been a key part of our lives, and returning to the sport became a way for me to process grief while creating a broader platform to support others affected by the disease,” he said.
“While inspired by my wife, I also stress that the campaign belongs to the broader lupus community, operating under the motto: ‘For Those We Have Lost. For Those Still Fighting’,” said Mokoena.
Mokoena emphasised that the immense physical endurance required for the journey serves as a symbol of the daily struggles faced by individuals living with chronic autoimmune conditions.
“Through strategic stops along the route, the campaign aims to give patients, families, and caregivers a voice while expanding public understanding through media coverage and community engagements,” said Mokoena.
ALSO READ: Support for autism caregivers takes centre stage at awareness gala
Developed in partnership with the Arthritis Foundation of South Africa (AFSA) and the South African Rheumatism and Arthritis Association (SARAA), the campaign will also raise funds through sponsorship and crowdfunding. Proceeds will directly support AFSA and SARAA in providing ongoing care, patient support, and medical advocacy across the country.
