Cape Town big-wave surfer and stand-up paddle boarder Greg Bertish’s non-profit organisation, The Little Optimist, has thrown its weight behind a fund-raising initiative for Anisha Singh’s Road to Recovery Campaign.
Anisha was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, four years ago at the age of 11.
The disease has rendered her wheelchair-bound, impaired her vision and rendered her incontinent - all of which has hampered her education, as no school is able to accommodate her.
With dedicated physiotherapy sessions, Anisha should regain some mobility again. However, her family are unable to provide financial assistance.
A fun-filled evening of film, dance and song will be hosted as a fundraising initiative for Anisha’s Road to Recovery Campaign on July 27 from 6pm to 9pm at DSB Hall in Craigieburn, south-west of Durban.
The campaign was established to assist Anisha’s family with the most pressing financial concern - physiotherapy appointments.
Anisha has already shown progress since starting her physiotherapy on April 26. She is able to walk, with the aid of a walker, for about 5m. One foot is particularly weak and may need a splint to make her fully mobile again.
Donations have contributed towards the R2 000-a-month physiotherapy appointments.
Bertish will attend the fundraiser, where the movie An Optimistic Adventure, detailing his journey, will be shown.
Organisers say Bertish will discuss his story and ambitions with the audience about how he overcame his own challenges.
In 2001, Greg contracted rare tropical bacteria on a surfing trip in Indonesia which attacked one of his heart valves. Once he was finally diagnosed, he underwent open-heart surgery, followed by a year-long rehabilitation, only to have the bacteria return five years later and destroy two heart valves. This required a second open-heart operation and another lengthy rehabilitation. However, Bertish is no typical heart surgery patient.
Turning the experience into something positive and life- affirming, Bertish established The Little Optimist, which raises funds for children.
One such fund-raiser started in April 2016 when he sailed an eight-foot Children’s Optimist dinghy 200km - 200 to match the number of hours he spent fighting the life-threatening disease in hospital.
This journey, in the open ocean, along one of the wildest and most dangerous coastlines in the world, was from Cape Hangklip, across the shark-infested waters of False Bay, around Cape Point and the Cape of Storms, to Cape Town.
It was undertaken by Bertish to inspire sick children to get better, to be optimistic and to never give up - because small people can do big things.
Tickets are R30 per adult, R10 for under 12s, from Marge Vice on 0780606510 or Seshni on 0785245791.