Two longstanding Jumping Kids charity ambassadors, Reuben van Niekerk and Dane Wilson, have partnered with Össur South Africa and Amarex for the ‘What’s Your Epic’ campaign to fundraise for the Jumping Kids Prosthetic Fund in the lead-up to the 2025 Absa Cape Epic (16-23 March) that the duo will be participating in.

Össur’s What’s Your Epic campaign aims to shine a light on selected charities dedicated to providing hope, mobility, and independence to those living with limited movement and to empower amputees to overcome barriers, move freely, and live life to the fullest. Jumping Kids is one of the charities selected to benefit.

Being a below the knee and arm amputee, respectively, Van Niekerk and Wilson will take on this year’s Absa Cape Epic as ‘Team Driepoot’ and attempt to finish the race while promoting public awareness of Jumping Kids – an NPO dedicated to assisting children living with limb mobility challenges to gain access to prosthetic equipment, quality education and sport.

Van Niekerk and Wilson’s involvement with Jumping Kids dates back all the way to the charity’s launch in 2009. They are considered valuable role models for the young beneficiaries from around the country who are supported by the charity.

“Through previous participation I have been able to showcase that with the right equipment and the correct level of preparation anyone can finish the Absa Cape Epic and I would like to use this platform to raise funds needed to unlock access to equipment for more disabled children,” comments Van Niekerk – who has finished the Cape Epic an impressive five consecutive times from 2014 to 2018.

In 2014, Van Niekerk made history by becoming the first lower limb amputee to finish the race. He then went on to become the first person with any type of disability to join the prestigious Amabubesi club for three-time finishers of the event in 2016.

Equal to Van Niekerk, Wilson too has an impressive cycling history. He is a well-known track cyclist who represented South Africa at numerous international events, including the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

In 2013, Wilson and Van Niekerk joined forces for the first time to take on the Cape Epic as Team Driepoot – a feat they are now aiming to repeat, and conquer, as part of the What’s Your Epic campaign.

“The Absa Cape Epic is a fantastic platform to demonstrate that with the right attitude paired with fantastic support, one can set ambitious goals and go out and achieve them with confidence! We hope to both inspire and facilitate the provision of the necessary prosthetics to help the next generation, so they can set higher goals and smash them,” says Wilson, while adding that it is an honor to ride for Jumping Kids.