Paediatrician swims to give back
OLIVEDALE – Dr Klaus Leschner swims to raise funds for Choc.
Meet Dr Klaus Leschner (47) a paediatrician at Netcare Olivedale Hospital, who swims the Midmar Mile for Children’s Haematology Oncology Clinics [Choc].
He has been swimming the Midmar Mile for the last four years but has been doing open water swimming for the last five years.
”I train at least three times a week – either in the morning or night for about 40 minutes and I cover about 2 km. I also do a bit of trail running, it helps me with my swimming as well,” explained Leschner.
Dr Leschner said he has always been swimming from school days but has never been a fast swimmer, but he still enjoys it.
He swims throughout the year.
”It is good to give back and swimming for a cause gives great value to what I do,” commented Dr Leschner.
Money is raised in different ways each year to help him enter the Midmar Mile.
Lunches are held at the Netcare Olivedale Hospital and some labs donate some funds.
How the Midmar Mile works: there are four one-mile events on the first day and another four one-mile events on the second day.
However, each swimmer has to raise R 10 000 before they enter the event.
The 8 Mile Charity Club organises the charity race and raises funds for various other charities.
“About 80 per cent of the funds that I raise goes to Choc, and the other 20 per cent is then donated to other charities that are supported by the 8 Mile Charity Club,” explained Dr Leschner.
Other charities that money is also donated to include: ACT Save the Rhino, Assist Change in Action, the Cancer Association, Choc, Gateway Christian School, the iThemba Lethu Aids Orphans Home, KZN Cystic Fibrosis, the KZN Society for the Blind, the KZN Society for the Deaf, Little Angels, Little Eden, Pam and Colin’s Foster Home, Pevensey Place for Cerebal Palsey, the SA Guide Dogs Association, the SPCA, Thandanani Children’s Foundation, Village Safe Haven Children’s Home, and the Wildlands Conservation Trust.
Details:kleschner@mweb.co.za
