Ride for Sight Digimag Ride for Sight Digimag | Page 4

FOREWORD
Dis- Chem Ride for Sight 2020
- cycle to restore 2020 vision
R
etina South Africa would like to thank our naming sponsor
Dis-Chem Pharmacies, our hosts the City of Ekurhuleni, our
secondary sponsors, our organising volunteers, service clubs- the
list is endless and gratifying.  
But most of all we need to thank you, our loyal cyclists for your
continued support of this event- the major contributor to the race against
blindness.  Over the last 32 years this event has raised over R10m to find
treatments for genetic retinal blindness caused by macular degeneration,
retinitis Pigmentosa, stargardt disease, usher syndrome and dozens of
rare and devastating eye diseases.  
These sight stealing conditions are most often diagnosed in families with
no previous history of blindness and the cause is hidden in the genes-
those complex DNA codes that prescribe our entire human make up.
All the proceeds from the event go directly to our genetic projects at the
University of Cape Town where our world class gene hunters are finding
answers to allow our young South Africans to be included in clinical trials
and ensuing treatments to stop or even reverse their loss of vision.
THANK YOU for taking us one step closer to making this dream come
true.   
Have a great Ride for Sight
James and Claudette
Retina South Africa
Ride with purpose at the 2020
Dis-Chem Ride for Sight
C
orporate social responsibility forms a vital component of Dis-
Chem’s corporate ethos while promoting health and fitness
through sport and exercise is one of our core values.
The ability to combine two of our greatest aspirations at the hugely
popular annual Dis-Chem Ride for Sight cycle race is, therefore, a
highlight for everyone at Dis-Chem.
This popular race on the Gauteng cycling calendar, proudly hosted
by the City of Ekurhuleni, is now in its 32nd year. It has a rich history
and proud heritage within the local cycling community, and as proud
supporters of South African cycling, we feel privileged to associate with
such an iconic event.
Importantly, the event also serves as a source of funding for the on-going
fight against retinal vision loss. Conditions such as Retinitis Pigmentosa,
Stargardt Disease and Usher Syndrome afflict many South Africans
today and robs them of their eyesight, which impacts their quality of life.
Your continued support of the Dis-Chem Ride for Sight cycle race gives
hope to sufferers of these debilitating conditions, as all proceeds go
towards funding research for potential treatments and therapies, and
broadening access to medical treatment for retinal patients.
A special word of thanks goes to everyone who pledged an additional
donation over and above their entry fees. Your generosity helped to raise
an extra R31,840, which the Dis-Chem Foundation matched. As a result,
we will proudly present Retina SA with a cheque for R63,680 on the day
of the event.
And thank you to all participants for riding in support of such a worthy
cause. Enjoy the race as you ride with purpose!
Stan Goetsch
Director
Dis-Chem Pharmacies
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Ride For Sight | 15 February 2020