Local man helps raise awareness about spinal cord
"Finding a cure for a spinal cord injury will profoundly impact the lives of many people and being an ambassador contributes to my feeling of purpose."
34-year-old Sandile Mkhize, ambassador for Wings for Life World Run took the streets by storm again this year in order to influence change.
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Mkhize is one of the thousands of people who took part in the race on May 7 to contribute in the important mission of raising awareness about spinal cord cure.
“It feels wonderful to be able to contribute and play my part in such an important mission.
“Finding a cure for a spinal cord injury will profoundly impact the lives on many people and being an ambassador contributes to my feeling of purpose,” said Mkhize.
Mkhize’s life was turned upside down after being involved in a horrific motorcycle accident in 2013 which left him with a spinal cord injury and wheelchair bound.
Now Mkhize who is also a Software Developer and a Data Analyst by profession is a T5 paraplegic athlete competing in the Wings for Life World Run Global Race.
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Wings for Life World Run aims to play a supporting role in the lives of those suffering from spinal cord injury and paraplegia by funding promising research projects and clinical studies to heal the injured spinal cord.
“The organisation is funding cutting edge research and the progress made to date is nothing short of amazing. When I started, I did not think that I would see a cure to spinal cord injuries but I am really confident that this problem will be solved before I pass on,” said Mkhize.
In his spare time, he does public speaking and advocacy for all people affected by spinal cord injuries as an ambassador for the Wings for Life World Run.
He said he believes that through the Wings for Life World Run a cure will be found and millions of people will be assisted.
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“It has been nothing short of amazing as I have shot a few films with the organization sharing my story.
“Being able to impact other people through film is something I am passionate about as it allows us to connect in a special way as humans,” explained Mkhize.
