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Cape Town - Award-winning lifestyle and golf destination, Pearl Valley Golf Estates, has partnered with The Sunflower Fund in hosting a celebrity golf day at the inaugural Pearl Valley Annual Celebrity Golf Day on Tuesday, October 15.
The day was originally scheduled for September 27, but due to a poor weather leading up to the event was rescheduled for October 15.
But every cloud has a silver lining and the change of date has allowed for some additional sporting legends to take part on the day, namely Barry Richards, Nick Mallett and Rob Louw.
With proceeds going to The Sunflower Fund, the Pearl Valley Annual Celebrity Golf Day will consist of a full field of 128 Golfers of 32 fourballs, each including one celebrity ambassador from either Media, Entertainment, Sport or Corporate circles.
Along with Barry Richards, Nick Mallett and Rob Louw, celebrity ambassadors include Ryk Neethling, Reuben Riffel, Benito Vergotine, Dr Darren Green, Breyton Paulse, Paul Adams, Brian McMillan, Herschelle Gibbs and Matthew Pearce and four members of the Cape Cobras cricket team namely Justin Kemp, Justin Ontong, Dane Vilas and Vernon Philander.
The Sunflower Fund actively raises funds to increase bone marrow stem cell donors in South Africa and to support those in need of a bone marrow transplant due to leukaemia, and other life-threatening blood disorders.
It is estimated globally that over 220 000 people will be diagnosed with and die of leukaemia in 2013. Every year 1 000s of South Africans of all ages and races are diagnosed with diseases such as Leukaemia, Aplastic anaemia and other rare genetic disorders.
With 75% of these patients under the age of 25, their only hope of survival is a blood stem cell transplant from a donor who shares the same tissue type. Without this transplant it would mean certain death.
Due to the sterling efforts of the Sunflower Fund there has been an increase in donors on the South African Bone Marrow Registry from a mere 1 200 in 1999 to over 65 500 today, although much needs to be done.
Due to the 1:100 000 chance of finding a compatible donor, at least 100 000 donors are needed for a Registry to function effectively and, in South Africa, the Registry should ideally have 400 000 donors representative of all ethnic groups.
The cause holds a special significance for Pearl Valley as the Estate’s General Manager, Gawie Marx, is himself a leukaemia survivor. In remission for 15 years after his bone marrow transplant, Gawie firmly believes that the Pearl Valley Annual Celebrity Golf Day is a cause worthy of widespread support.
“The Sunflower Fund stands for a vital cause, and we at Pearl Valley believe that the event will garner great support for the wonderful work that they do. Having survived leukaemia and a transplant, I know the importance of this charity on a personal level. I hope that the public will come out to support this amazing event, and have a great deal of fun whilst doing so,” says Marx.
“We are inviting corporate teams as well as groups and individuals to tee off to help make a difference, while having a chance to compete with local celebrities and sports ambassadors on the golf course,” adds Marx.
The day was originally scheduled for September 27, but due to a poor weather leading up to the event was rescheduled for October 15.
But every cloud has a silver lining and the change of date has allowed for some additional sporting legends to take part on the day, namely Barry Richards, Nick Mallett and Rob Louw.
With proceeds going to The Sunflower Fund, the Pearl Valley Annual Celebrity Golf Day will consist of a full field of 128 Golfers of 32 fourballs, each including one celebrity ambassador from either Media, Entertainment, Sport or Corporate circles.
Along with Barry Richards, Nick Mallett and Rob Louw, celebrity ambassadors include Ryk Neethling, Reuben Riffel, Benito Vergotine, Dr Darren Green, Breyton Paulse, Paul Adams, Brian McMillan, Herschelle Gibbs and Matthew Pearce and four members of the Cape Cobras cricket team namely Justin Kemp, Justin Ontong, Dane Vilas and Vernon Philander.
The Sunflower Fund actively raises funds to increase bone marrow stem cell donors in South Africa and to support those in need of a bone marrow transplant due to leukaemia, and other life-threatening blood disorders.
It is estimated globally that over 220 000 people will be diagnosed with and die of leukaemia in 2013. Every year 1 000s of South Africans of all ages and races are diagnosed with diseases such as Leukaemia, Aplastic anaemia and other rare genetic disorders.
With 75% of these patients under the age of 25, their only hope of survival is a blood stem cell transplant from a donor who shares the same tissue type. Without this transplant it would mean certain death.
Due to the sterling efforts of the Sunflower Fund there has been an increase in donors on the South African Bone Marrow Registry from a mere 1 200 in 1999 to over 65 500 today, although much needs to be done.
Due to the 1:100 000 chance of finding a compatible donor, at least 100 000 donors are needed for a Registry to function effectively and, in South Africa, the Registry should ideally have 400 000 donors representative of all ethnic groups.
The cause holds a special significance for Pearl Valley as the Estate’s General Manager, Gawie Marx, is himself a leukaemia survivor. In remission for 15 years after his bone marrow transplant, Gawie firmly believes that the Pearl Valley Annual Celebrity Golf Day is a cause worthy of widespread support.
“The Sunflower Fund stands for a vital cause, and we at Pearl Valley believe that the event will garner great support for the wonderful work that they do. Having survived leukaemia and a transplant, I know the importance of this charity on a personal level. I hope that the public will come out to support this amazing event, and have a great deal of fun whilst doing so,” says Marx.
“We are inviting corporate teams as well as groups and individuals to tee off to help make a difference, while having a chance to compete with local celebrities and sports ambassadors on the golf course,” adds Marx.
