A shared passion to deliver hope: Meals on Wheels partners with Seven7 Drive 2026
Beyond the cars, the driving, the adventure of seeing some of the most beautiful and remote parts of South Africa, it is the physical hospital visits on the route that bring the true reason for each year’s Seven7 Drive front and centre: kids bravely fighting cancers of various forms and in varying stages.
Unfortunately, because childhood cancer is relatively rare in comparison to other diseases such as tuberculosis and HIV, there is no authoritative data source that fully quantifies the prevalence of the disease in South Africa and, up until recently, one could solely rely on pathology-based reporting and specialist paediatric oncology centre data, which is by no means an accurate reflection of the state of the disease in SA.
“The real challenge lies in the fact that South Africa’s vast landscape and often insufficient healthcare infrastructure exacerbates the misdiagnosis of the disease in its early stages when symptoms can easily be similar to other medical conditions,” comments Christo Valentyn, Marketing Director of the Seven7 Drive NPC. “It is estimated that less than half of children with cancer are diagnosed correctly in the early stages of the disease and that the vast majority of accurate diagnoses only happen when the disease is already in an advanced stage”.
The Seven7 Drive visits at least seven hospitals during each annual campaign, often eight. Predominantly state hospitals, it is met with a growing number of children each year, often accompanied by a parent or caregivers, who spend days and weeks in the paediatric oncology ward.
“While the hospital and its amazing staff take care of all the basic needs, it’s often not as simple and popping down to the pharmacy or out to a shop if you run out of soap or toothpaste, or even just a simple snack,” says Danie Botha, co-founder and Managing Director of the Seven7 Drive NPC explains. “This is where the Drive delivers tangible hope through the delivery of care packages. Some years, a toothbrush and a washcloth. Some years, sweets and toys. Every year we do our best to bring some joy and hope, and every year we’re faced with immense gratitude for a simple gesture that we often take for granted.”
In the major metropoles like Johannesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town, a variety of public transport options and access to a variety of shops makes survival in the ward a little bit easier while a child is undergoing treatment. Yet it’s often the outright affordability of these items that become the problem. Even in major towns like Polokwane and Kimberley, the kids and their parents or caregivers come from rural areas: what they arrive with, is what they have – and at that point, the disease is the only thing that matters.
This year, the annual Seven7 Drive will be spreading significantly more cheer on its route thanks to a generous partnership with Meals on Wheels Community Services, with additional support from Shoprite – a long-standing supporter of Meals on Wheels – who will be sponsoring more than 200 care packs for the Seven7 Drive mission in 2026.
“Partnering with the Seven7 Drive gives us the privilege of bringing direct comfort, relief and hope to the brave children fighting cancer across South Africa,” comments Gershon Naidoo, National Programmes and Marketing Director for Meals on Wheels Community Services. “Through these care packs, every kilometre we cover delivers more than just essential supplies: it carries a message to these young heroes and their families that they are loved, supported and never alone in their fight.”
Established in 1964 by Dr. Denis Baird, Meals on Wheels Community Services began as a response to the pressing needs of the elderly in East London. Dr. Baird initiated a fundraising campaign to acquire the first Meals on Wheels delivery vehicle and, with the dedicated support of a group of compassionate women, secured access to a local church kitchen on weekdays.
From these humble beginnings, Meals on Wheels has evolved to a national programme covering nine provinces, targeting the upliftment of the poorest and most vulnerable South Africans. It has a single vision: to eradicate hunger within the borders of South Africa, creating a future where no South African experiences the harsh impact of hunger. With more than 183 branches, more than 170 service points and a volunteer base of nearly 1,000, Meals on Wheels prepares more than 192,000 meals daily and delivers more than 70 million meals every year. It is their sole mission to keep transforming lives through charity in motion.
The 2026 Seven7 Drive for kids with cancer is scheduled to depart from the Steve Biko Academic Hospital in the City of Tshwane on 24 September 2026.
*Information provided by the publicist.
If your brand or PR Agency sends out multiple advertorials (Media/ Press Releases) in a month, and would like all the advertorials to be Fully featured on iloveza.com at an Extremely Reasonable price,
AND/OR to Advertise your brand, email howzit@iloveza.com
