Kat’ s moving her way and making it count
When Kat Swanepoel was forced to step away from racing for health reasons in 2025, she decided to use that time to support a cause close to her heart. Instead of focusing only on competition, the South African Paralympian threw herself into the Move Strong May campaign, helping to raise awareness and funds for people living with Multiple Sclerosis( MS).
Swanepoel, who has represented South Africa in para swimming, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby, first became involved in the campaign during a difficult period in her career. She decided to channel her energy into something bigger than sport alone.
“ MS can affect everything in your central nervous system, which for me has also meant autonomic dysfunction( such as loss of temperature control), increased muscle tone( spasticity), loss of sensation, visual loss( partly nerve-related, partly dodgy retinas-related), significant fatigue, seizures, speech and swallowing difficulties at times.”
The unpredictability of the condition adds another layer of difficulty, particularly in high-performance sport, where consistency is crucial. Yet Swanepoel refuses to let the disease define her. Instead, she has used her platform to advocate for awareness and inspire others facing similar battles.
“ Initiatives like these are so important for a multitude of reasons: they create a‘ community’ of people who are facing similar challenges but who are still choosing to Move Strong in whichever way that looks, it brings awareness to a condition and its challenges that are not always well understood,” she said.
“ I thought, why not redirect my focus into something that can benefit the larger MS community,” Swanepoel explained.
This year, she set herself the challenge of swimming 50km throughout May in support of the Move Strong May initiative, which raises awareness and funds for Multiple Sclerosis South Africa( MSSA), who provide support, guidance, education and advocacy for people living with MS. Even though the campaign month is drawing to a close, supporters can still contribute towards the cause.
Diagnosed with Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis( PPMS) at just 21 years old, Swanepoel has faced immense physical challenges during her journey as an elite athlete. While many people notice the paralysis affecting all four limbs and her trunk, she says the condition impacts far more than mobility.
32 www. modernathlete. co. za
A two-time Paralympian who competed at both Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, Swanepoel has also enjoyed much success in the pool, claiming two world titles in 2023, multiple international medals and setting numerous African records.
Her message to those considering donating or taking part is simple: every contribution matters.
“ Don ' t hang back because you think your effort / contribution is too small. Whatever movement, at whatever level is good for you and no donationis too small, every bit goes to helping countless lives.”
If you’ d like to still contribute to the Move Strong May campaign, head to:
www. givengain. com
Photos courtesy of Erin Groll, Anton Geyser, Roelien Geyser