Amputee to bike for legs
Double amputee Gerda du Toit raising awareness for the Kirsty Watts foundation.
At the launch of Yamaha’s newest superbike called R1 at the Yamaha Lifestyle Dealership, double amputee Gerda du Toit was raising awareness for the Kirsty Watts foundation.
The charity helps children from underprivileged backgrounds get treatment for debilitating diseases.
The Kirsty Watts Foundation, through its patrons, trustees, associates and agents, will provide support functions for the benefit of amputees under the age of 18, their families and their communities.
“We want to use this event to raise funds for children who have lost their limbs. For them to wait for the government can take up to 10 years and by that time, their childhood has passed them by,” said Gerda.
Gerda lost her limbs last year due to diabetes and is aiming to be the first woman to undertake a 5000 km cross country ride with a motorbike later this year.
Her goal is to raise R2 million for the charity this year which will enable them to supply almost 100 prosthetic legs for children.
“When I lost my limbs last year, I thought my life was over because I was in a wheelchair. But I found inspiration in piblic figures such as Oscar Pistorius who has achieved so much in his life that I could not just stay at home and be miserable,” she said.
Since she started working together with the foundation, Gerda has already helped eight young children to get prosthetic limbs.
“I am a mother of two children so I cannot imagine what a child goes through without prosthetic legs. Children go to school and want to play sports and be active, they can’t be restricted by something that could easily be solved like getting good functioning prosthetic limbs. To see the smile on a child’s face when they receive their legs is wonderful,” said Gerda.
For more information, visit the Facebook page: Racing For A Limb
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