Fred Kockott, a breed of journalist so rare they should be listed by CITES, is not quite ready to give up the game.

He is an award-winning South African investigative journalist and the director of Roving Reporters, an environmental and social-justice journalism training agency.

Fred still has so much life to live, ocean to swim in, and time to spend with daughter Jody and his two beloved mutts, Simber and GG.

Living with terminal Stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer, Fred from Port Edward continues to direct Roving Reporters and produce deeply engaging environmental stories.

But freelance work brings an unpredictable income, making it increasingly difficult to meet the substantial medical costs.

Fred’s friend and former colleague, Juliet Colly, former chief sub-editor at the Sunday Tribune, said that while his work is important, his friends and family simply want to have him around for as long as possible – just because he’s Fred!

The good news is that the life-saving treatment Fred is receiving is working remarkably well,” she said. 

Within a year, his PSA – a marker used to monitor prostate cancer – has fallen from nearly 300 to just 0.1.

But Fred now faces a temporary gap in his medical cover, which resumes on March 4, 2027.

In the meantime, he needs to fund his ongoing medication and hormone injections, regular blood tests and other related oncology costs.

There’s also another reason for this campaign.

Fred would like 20% of all donations to go to South Coast Hospice, in recognition of the invaluable support they provide to people with cancer and their families.

They deserve help too.

This brings the fundraising target to R60 000, of which 80% will go towards Fred’s medical expenses and 20% to South Coast Hospice.

If you can help Fred, visit: https://www.backabuddy.co.za/campaign/keep-fred-in-the-game

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