Record-breaking para-athlete Charne Felix will join the virtual Steps race this weekend.
Steps Clubfoot Care, a non-profit organisation based in Cape Town that improves the lives of children born with clubfoot, has partnered with JEFF Fitness in a virtual race for “Steptember”.
Traditionally, Steps runs fund-raising events every September, but the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in a need for innovative strategies for many non-profit organisations and technology has become an unexpected conduit.
Says Karen Moss, chief executive officer of Steps: “We are so honoured to be partnering with Johno Meintjies, the founder of JEFF Fitness. We usually did 10 000 steps for Steptember events to raise muchneeded funds to fund our clinics and they’ve literally ‘stepped’ in this year to partner with us on a virtual run that is beyond our wildest imagination.”
Clubfoot is the most common musculoskeletal birth defect globally.
However, unlike many other birth defects, clubfoot is treatable.
The virtual run will take place on Saturday September 19 at 8am with a pre-race build-up from 7.30am.
The JEFF events page is live and participants can register and then donate to Steps if they have the funds to do so. Donations start at R50.
Joining the event are record-breaking Para-athlete Charne Felix and actor Thato Molamu. Felix has been a Steps ambassador since 2019 and was born with right foot congenital clubfoot.
“I support Steps because I grew up with the stigma of shame. I believe by supporting this organisation I am able to prevent any child or parent from feeling that exact same shame, while imparting some form of knowledge/awareness regarding clubfoot,” says Felix. “I want to shine a light for those who don’t have the financial means I had with regard to rehabilitation at Steps clinics.”
Register for the race at: https:// www.jeff.fitness/pages/steptember-run
To donate visit https://www.backabuddy.co.za/donate/champion/jeff steptemberrun-for-clubfoot