89-year-old resident still keeps fit and active

A hip replacement may have put an end to Thelma Fouché’s (89) parkrunning days, but it has not stopped her from still attending the weekly event as a volunteer, come rain or shine.

Thelma had to have her hip replaced in 2019 and explained, “Unfortunately, the surgery was not successful and the sinews and muscles didn’t attach to the replacement hip correctly. and I can also not walk without my crutch. I can stand, but not without holding on to something, and I can walk forward.”

Unfortunately, she also has difficulty turning around due to another health issue.

Despite not being able to run the parkrun anymore, Thelma is still there every Saturday cheering on the other runners.

“I love to go there, I go with my deck chair and I sit if I feel like sitting, but I can’t stand the whole hour with just my crutch, but it is so great at the parkrun, everybody is so friendly, everybody appreciates that I’m there, which is nice!”

She added that she can walk the parkrun route for an hour easily, but the terrain at the parkrun is too uneven and she can’t risk breaking any bones.

In total, she has volunteered for about 50 parkruns since the hip replacement. She noted after the surgery she was too disappointed to go to the parkrun, but she soon started missing it too much. She even sings to the runners passing by to encourage them. She did 233 parkruns before and her wish is that she will be able to finish her 250th, however, she stated she takes too long to complete the course and the organisers can’t wait for her to finish.

Out of the 13 Comrades Marathons she ran, there were only two she couldn’t complete.

Aside from the parkrun, Thelma also knits Mother Teresa vests and blankets, and crochets, which are then sold for money, which all goes toward maintenance at her old age home.

“I don’t do this out of my own strength, God is with me.”