SuperBike Magazine September 2020

14 SuperBike
HONDA MOTOR
SOUTHERN AFRICA
SUPPORTS RIDING
FOR A LIMB
Honda Motor Southern Africa is
proud to announce its support for
Riding for a Limb, the South African
non-profit organisation which raises
funds to provide prosthetic limbs to
amputees in need.
The organisation, founded by double-amputee
Gerda du Toit and Charl
Beukes in 2014, has provided 54
artificial limbs, costing more than R9
000 000, to 18 children and 8 bikers
during the past 6 years.
Riding for a Limb raises funds by
organising sponsored bike and car
drives, including Gerda’s own 4431
km bike ride on a Honda Integra in
2016, less than 2 years after losing
both of her legs due to diabetes.
“I went from a wheelchair to a
bike in 2 years, and it completely
changed my life,” says Gerda. “Riding
for a Limb is about more than just
giving amputees mobility – it transforms
lives, families and communities.
Giving amputees access to
prostheses allows them to dream as
big as they want to.”
A basic prosthesis can cost anything
from R80 000. An above-knee
amputation is a minimum of R120
000. This excludes re-fits, which cost
anything from R60 000.
“Most amputees do not have the
funds to get medical treatment such
as physio and attending rehabilitation
centres. Therefore, we go to
their homes and workplaces where
we assist with their rehabilitation
and teach them to walk again,” says
Gerda.
Because a child grows, they
continuously need new prostheses.
With an adult, the stump changes
and loses volume (becoming smaller).
Amputees therefore require new
prostheses as their bodies change. It
can take up to 5 years for the stump
to reach its final size. A prosthesis
that doesn’t fit properly can result in
wounds on the limb as well as other
– potentially very serious – complications,
it is therefore imperative that
the prostheses fit properly.
Riding for a Limb is committed to
ensuring that 100% of donated funds
are used for recipients.
Honda is providing Riding for a
Limb with a sponsored Jazz Sport.
“Even limited support can make a
substantial difference” says Dinesh
Govender, General Manager of
Corporate at Honda Motor Southern
Africa: “Honda believes in the power
of dreams. What that really means is
our power as human beings to make
a difference, and to make our dreams
and the dreams of others come true.
Imagine the transformative power of
giving people back their mobility. Every
contribution makes a permanent
difference in someone’s life.”