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A group of good Samaritans are saddling up for a life-changing cause and will be cycling throughout the day to ensure a little Despatch girl gets her new wheels.
Abigail Smith, 10, was born with a condition that has forced her to live her life in a wheelchair, and a Kariega man has taken the lead and committed to raising funds to buy a new wheelchair by organising a 12-hour cycle challenge on Saturday in Despatch.
Johan Oosthuizen started Fuel on Wheels 11 years ago to raise funds for people in need.
“When I heard about Abigail, I immediately committed to raising the R145,000 she needed for the wheelchair.
“From the moment I met her, though non-verbal, she stole my heart.
“I phoned the supplier and managed to negotiate the price down to R54,000, and on Saturday we will be doing laps around the Despatch Sports Fields for R2 a lap.
“So many people from Nelson Mandela Bay have donated, we have had so much support from local businesses too.
“This year, with the help of Johnny Bicycles, we will have bikes available for rent, and all funds raised will go directly to helping Abigail reach her goal.”
Oosthuizen said he was confident they would raise all the money needed.
The event will run from 7am to 7pm, and Oosthuizen said that he was expecting at least 20 cyclists and some runners.
“If we don’t hit the target, I will put the rest of the money in myself. I really want to help this girl.”
Oosthuizen said that over the past 11 years he has cycled more than 170,000km to raise money for various causes.
“I rode from Joburg to PE, I rode from Namibia to PE, and I have lost count of the number of people we have helped with Fuel on Wheels.”
The organisation started out as a feeding scheme in 2015, but Oosthuizen said that over the years, the project had taken on a life of its own.
“I grew up in a very difficult financial situation and when I am in a position to help others, it is something I really want to do, especially when it is a child like Abigail.”
Abigail suffers from a rare condition called GNAO1-related dystonia, which affects the messaging systems between her brain and her nerves, leaving her unable to walk or talk and depends on her single mother, Adri Fourie, as her primary caregiver.
“Every meal, every drink, every bath, every outfit and every moment of her day relies on someone else,” Fourie said.
“Abigail is the most incredible little girl, and I truly believe she is a gift from God.”
Fourie said that Oosthuizen and his team from Fuel on Wheels had been an incredible support for her and Abigail.
“From the moment they came into our lives, they reminded us that we are not fighting this battle alone.
“Their compassion, generosity and willingness to stand beside our family have given us hope during one of the most difficult seasons of our lives.
“Knowing that complete strangers are willing to help my little girl has been overwhelming in the most beautiful way.
“Despite everything she has been through, she wakes up every day with the biggest smile.
“She doesn’t let her condition define who she is.
“Her smile is contagious, her laughter fills every room, and she has a way of touching the hearts of everyone she meets.”
Fourie said that being wheelchair-bound meant that Abigail watched so many of life’s little moments from the sidelines.
“She longs to move around more freely and be part of the games her friends play.
“As a mother, it breaks my heart knowing that something so simple for most children is something she can only dream about.”
Fourie said Abigail’s life has been one of many trials and tribulations.
“Four years ago, our world came crashing down. Abigail went into a massive dystonia storm.
“She was airlifted to the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, where Dr Nico Enslin performed life-saving brain surgery that lasted more than 10 hours.
“Today, Abigail lives because of that surgery.
“She has deep brain stimulation implants in her brain connected by wires to a device implanted in her body.
“The device sends electrical stimulation to her brain, preventing the devastating dystonia storms that nearly took her life.
“Within the next year, the battery that keeps this device working must be replaced at a cost of between R180,000 and R200,000.
“Without it, her life would once again be at risk.”
“Our journey has been one filled with heartbreak, fear, hope and unwavering faith.
“As a single mother, caring for Abigail has been the greatest privilege of my life, but also the hardest journey I have ever walked.
“Abigail is my miracle. She has survived battles that many people could never imagine, yet she continues to smile through it all.
“She has taught me what true courage looks like.
“My greatest wish as her mother is not for an easy life, but for every opportunity to give her the happiest, fullest and most beautiful life possible.”
The Fuel on Wheels fundraiser starts at 7am at the Despatch Stoeiklub, with a live broadcast from Luister FM as well as food stalls and a steak braai at 7pm after the cycle.
