Big rigs support prostate cancer awareness

Anyone enthused by “big rigs” was in for an impressive display of these massive machines, which proceeded in convoy from Boksburg on a route to the N17 at Carnival City, into Rondebult Road and back to North Rand Road again.

The organiser Sarita Gerber, who is the managing director of a Springs transport company, Orliflex Logistics and Consulting, explained that she arranged the event in just two weeks.

• Men’s health

“As part of the transport industry, we are also part of a group of people who own ‘big rigs’ and every now and then we socialise by doing a run with these vehicles.

“After our last get-together, I decided to dedicate the next get-together to a cause and then decided on prostate cancer awareness, as November is men’s health month. Most of the owners were on board almost immediately! However, this time around not only long nose trucks were invited to attend, any type of truck could have registered to form part of the event, and truckers and supporters came from as far as Cape Town, Parys and Nelspruit to support the cause.

“Cancer has touched my life deeply, as I’ve lost close family and friends to the disease over the past year, so it stood to reason Cansa would be a suitable beneficiary of our efforts,” said Gerber, who is also a senior lecturer at the University of Pretoria.

• Testing

“Men who drive trucks are rarely at home and when they are, they’re not going to spend their time going for health checks. So, part of the awareness for men at this event was that the test for prostate cancer is not a big deal – just a simple prick on the finger and if anything untoward is picked up from this blood sample, further blood tests will be done.

“It was our aim to create awareness about prostate cancer and what the testing actually involves,” Gerber said.

Cansa had members on site at the event who conducted the prostate tests.

• Support

While it was a challenge getting sponsors on board and as many big rigs involved as possible – and especially getting approval from the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) to escort the run on its route – Gerber is very pleased with the turn-out and support of the event.

“I would especially like to thank Chief Superintendent Barries Barnard and Supt Marius Lubbe-Louw, of the EMPD, for sticking their necks out and helping us to make this event such a success,” Gerber said.

She added that the truck run will be an annual event and said she looks forward to a lot more entries and sponsorship next year.

“Next year I will be donating the funds to the University of Pretoria, in aid of prostate cancer research.”

Anyone interested in finding out more about the annual truck run, can email Gerber at sarita@orliflex.co.za