SuperCars for Superkids makes dreams come true for some special children
MELROSE – Children battling illnesses were treated to rides in super cars.
Children of the CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation ward at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, Reach for a Dream and the Muscular Dystrophy Foundation were taken on a thrill ride at Melrose Nissan.
The event, SuperCars for SuperKids, which was organised by Bradley Ainge, Darren Fresco and Shelby Zimmerman, started back in 2014 and has taken place every three months since then. “The idea came about because I went through what these kids are going through. I was also sick,” said Ainge.
“We had a rather large event this time, with 16 children being well enough to come. We had 16 supercar drivers who graciously gave up their very limited family time.
“There was a real sense of giving this time around, both for the drivers and the young co-pilots who all came out of care homes and hospitals to be given a drive of a lifetime in their dream cars.”
Andre Pieterse, who was a first-time volunteer at the event, said the whole experience was like nothing else he had ever experienced. “Anyone who has kids of their own will definitely understand how this pulls at your heart strings, it is such a sobering experience. Seeing the courage in the kid’s eyes makes a person feel so much gratitude for what they have,” said Pieterse.
Zimmerman said the event was originally only for children with leukaemia but it had grown into an amazing day for all children that had life-threatening illnesses and in some cases terminal.
“For me personally children are my passion, seeing the smiles and knowing they have had the most amazing day just warms my heart,” Zimmerman said.
She added that it would be great to get a toy manufacturer on board so they could give the children a personalised gift on the day.
“We would like to have a consistent sponsor for the breakfast on the morning of the event, which would be croissants and juice,” she said. “We would generally not ask for funding as this is not what SuperKids is about, however, if someone wanted to rather donate towards the breakfast or gifts for the children we would value that.”
Details: Bradley Ainge 083 644 1996.
Send us your community stories. Email rkg@caxton.co.za
