Comrades runner races for Mbombela boy’s operation
A runner will join the cause, raising funds for a boy suffering from cerebral palsy.
Fanie Bekker will run his seventh Comrades Marathon to assist in paying for Jordan Fitzgerald’s operation on his hips, feet and groin, tendon releases, plus Botox for his stiff and sore muscles.
The operation and subsequent care are estimated to cost R350 000.
Bekker plans to run the full 90 kilometres in June. He commented, “Preparing for the run has been so far so good, I have run two 40-kilometre races and I am running another 48-kilometre race next. I have been running for eight years. I have dedicated every Comrades Marathon to a cause. So I am running to raise funds for Jordan to help him out.”
Jordan is a six-year-old, who was born prematurely at 30 weeks. His mother suffered heart failure, which resulted in pre-eclampsia.
He weighed only 1,1 kilograms at birth. During his stay in the neonatal ward, he contracted septicaemia and meningitis.
After being discharged from the newborn intensive-care unit, he was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition that causes a build-up of fluid in the cavities within the brain.
His life expectancy was expected to be short and he remains vulnerable to infections. Jordan is disabled and has survived so far with several operations.
He cannot sit, crawl, walk, see, eat or drink.
The operation will be done at Life Groenkloof Hospital in Pretoria.
The family pleads with the public to help pay for Jordan’s operation by donating an amount for every kilometre run by Bekker.
Interested people can donate on www.backabuddy.co.za/champion/project/jordan or contact Teresa Coertzen on
060-719-1947.
Photos: Facebook
