Riding to raise awareness about cancer: Cancervive

By Réhann Coetzee

Cancervive is a unique and dynamic cancer awareness and education project that falls under the umbrella organisation of People Living With Cancer (www.plwc.org.za).

The Cancervive flagship event is an annual 10-day motorcycle ride across South Africa,starting from the 1st of September till the 10th of September where more than 60 cancer survivors, supporters, crew and media embark on a mission to spread awareness, educate, and deliver the message of hope and encouragement to communities along the way.

Cancervive has a number of key sponsors and this year the group will be riding Indian motorcycles.

“We love supporting Cancervive, and look forward to seeing the impact this year’s awareness drive will make on those uneducated and unsupported, says Bryan Berger, the boss of Indian Motorcycle South Africa.

The Cancervive campaign members share their stories, celebrate life and recognise that a cancer diagnosis does not have to mean a death sentence. Cancervive also honours those that have lost their battles and raises funds to help fight the disease through education. Cancervive members are passionate about teaching, sharing and creating awareness about the harder to recognise cancers and beat myths about the disease. They also aim to support those who might feel hopeless.  

Cancervive spreads this message: CATCH THE DISEASE EARLY! Cancervive was started by cancer survivors to do exactly that. Their mission is to promote education and awareness about cancer – including the so-called shy, less popular cancers – especially in its early more treatable stages. Cancer myths include a widespread belief that cancer is mainly a white person’s disease - while data shows that the main difference is access to and seeking of treatment – as well as a lack of knowledge about the causes of cancer, including the impact of lifestyle choices.

The support vehicles for this year’s trip will again be supplied by Mercedes-Benz. Other key sponsors include Spar, the SABC Foundation and Revlon.

Cancervive is a survivor-driven cancer awareness and education project that communicates to audiences with means beyond words. Through the use of performing arts, music, poetry, dance and storytelling, they reach people of all backgrounds, regardless of language. Because of this, the Cancervive project has been hailed as one of the most dynamic cancer awareness campaigns in the world.

“Cancervive aims to educate communities about ‘shy’ cancers that many are unwilling to talk about due to stigmas and discrimination, cultural taboos, and lack of knowledge. By sharing the stories of our diverse survivors, we aim to break down the taboos surrounding the disease, and develop support structures necessary to begin conversations about cancer. The visited communities are left with the tools to identify the warning signs of cancer, and to better understand and care for cancer patients in their midst.”

For more information, look at Cancervive’s website , Facebook page or YouTube channel and follow them on Twitter and Instagram .