November 2008
Our plan was to raise R60,000 for CHOC but due to our clearly thought out strategy ( read ‘ not having a clue ’) we managed to raise more than R230,000 in only 2 weeks . The energy that The Cows created was infectious , it changed our lives and so many other ’ s lives forever .
“ the simple things were the only things that really mattered … being together , laughter and love . Such a simple formula to happiness !”
June 2009
After the first taste of making a difference we knew we were on to something and so we harnessed the unique formula from our strategy sessions and we aimed higher . We worked with CHOC to assist them with meeting their most pressing needs , we wanted to be of benefit to them and to support them in their aim to help children and their families affected by cancer . After experiencing the journey first hand it made sense to help with the fundraising efforts and let CHOC continue to do the work they do so well , after all they have been doing it for over 40 years and have helped so many families through the darkest time of their lives . And so started the annual process of partnering with CHOC to agree on the projects The Cows could support . Over the years the projects have included buying new homes to house kids while they receive treatment , hospital upgrades , vehicles for transporting kids to and from hospital , psychosocial support in the form of Social Workers who walk alongside the family during the hard journey of childhood cancer , operational costs , childhood cancer awareness campaigns and so many more .
August 2013
Although we started off with our fundraising events in and around Johannesburg , the step up really happened when the dynamic KZN team got going . When Iris , Gords and Lynne joined us in 2013 we got the much needed boost of momentum to create and support new events such as the GABRAN ( Great Annual Bike Ride Across Natal ) and the Amashova as well as chartering new territory by taking The Cows to the water with the Midmoo Mile . Cycle , run , swim , paddle , walk , golf , cricket , there is no end to what ’ s possible in cow print .
July 2017
It was 27 July 2017 and Georgie our second daughter ( who was 7 years old ) was enjoying her normal afternoon play time doing non-stop cartwheels and handstands , she seemed obsessed with getting them perfect . Just before bed that night , she bumped her head reaching for the TV remote and what unravelled from that moment still leaves me speechless . She woke with an incredible headache in the night which turned out to be a bleed on the brain , into ICU she went . A couple days later we found out that she had a brain tumour . There are no words to describe how we felt . Surgery , radiation , chemotherapy and immunotherapy followed , these 4 words take up less than a line on a page but filled our every moment and dominated our lives for 2 and a half years . We had been in this place before and we knew the key to survival that we learnt 10 years earlier … being together , laughter and fun ! She showed us bravery , courage and joy beyond our wildest dreams . Georgie passed away on 12 December 2019 . We imagine her riding her unicorn over the rainbow and turning to wave one last time before flying off .
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