Kia South Africa this week embarks on the annual Seven7 Drive in aid of kids with cancer. Kia was the founding vehicle partner of the drive, which takes place annually in September to mark global Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and celebrates its 9th anniversary this year. Having participated with a raft of two-wheel drive vehicles in the past and never being shy of a challenge, Kia is participating with two of its latest compact SUVs this year: the recently introduced new Kia Sonet and new Kia Seltos.
“The new Kia Sonet and new Kia Seltos models were introduced in South Africa earlier this year, featuring refreshed styling inside and outside, while retaining the value proposition the two brands have become known for,” comments Paul Turnbull, CEO, Kia South Africa. “While not your typical choice for a cross-country adventure, we’re confident that both models will handle the route with verve, irrespective of terrain.”
Now a standalone non-profit organisation with a renewed focus on making a tangible difference in the lives of kids with cancer, the annual Seven7 Drive is the flagship fundraiser for the Seven7 Drive NPC. Featuring a new route to incorporate more provinces and hospitals across the country, this year’s drive kicked off at the Charlotte Maxeke Hospital in Johannesburg yesterday, and will see the team criss-cross across Kwa-Zulu Natal, the Free State, the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Northern Cape and Limpopo provinces this week, concluding at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital in the City of Tshwane on 21 September.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in children aged one to 14, and continues to rise globally. It is estimated that as many as one in 408 children will be diagnosed with cancer before the age of 15 across the globe. Many of South Africa’s academic hospitals have paediatric oncology units, but due to a continued lack of awareness around the benefits of early detection, the survival rate amongst diagnosed cases remain dismally low. The Seven7 Drive aims to increase awareness about the benefits of early detection while simultaneously delivering hope and supplies to kids in seven hospitals across South Africa.
For the first time in its 9-year history, Kia will be joined by other automotive brands for the Seven7 Drive, specifically Toyota, JEEP and Hyundai. These vehicles will be driven throughout the trip by Danie Botha (owner of BoBo Productions, a company that specialises in television productions and adventure events and one of the original co-founders of the Seven7 Drive) and Ziphorah Masethe (IgnitionTV presenter and producer), alongside rally legend, Hannes Grobler (who joins the crew for the second year) and ILS medic George Wright. A videography crew will film and document the Drive for broadcast on IgnitionTV.
“With the combined expertise of the new Seven7 Drive NPC board, and support from the South African motoring industry, Seven7 Drive will be able to help more kids, more regularly,” says Seven7 Drive founding member, Danie Botha. “As per Seven7 tradition we will be steering clear of main roads as best we can, and stick to lesser driven routes. There have been reports about snow near Lesotho, so that could get interesting, especially in the front-wheel drive vehicles. But an adventure is not an adventure without a few stories to tell, so we are up for the challenge,” he concludes.
