Bikers from Wheels of Hope stopped in Ballito during their nationwide tour last week, raising funds for life-changing prosthetic limbs and spreading a message of resilience.

The non-profit group of amputee riders raises awareness, brings hope to fellow amputees and helps fund prosthetic limbs and refits. This year’s 15-day countrywide tour aimed to fund 20 prosthetic refits or 10 new limbs, with costs starting at around R50 000 for a refit and R100 000 for a new prosthesis.

Covering more than 5 800 kilometres, the tour began in Centurion, Gauteng on September 20 and passed through the North West, Northern Cape, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo, before finishing back in Centurion on October 4.

On Day 12, the biking squad stopped in Ballito, where they thanked Shiptech for sponsoring their fuel.

Double amputee Matthew “Bushy” McKelvey told the Courier the ride is not just about distance but about “defying limits and inspiring others.” McKelvey, who set a Guinness World Record in 2014 after riding 3 256.5km in 24 hours, said the goal is to help amputees regain independence through mobility.

He said prosthetic limbs require regular refits every two to five years, as body changes can make them uncomfortable or unusable.

“A single donation can make mobility possible for someone who has lost that mobility,”

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