Post by The Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Pretoria

This year, Dr Ané Büchner, paediatric oncologist in the Department of Paediatrics at Steve Biko Academic Hospital, will be running her 8th Comrades Marathon. Comrades is often described as the ultimate human race, but every year she is reminded that the challenges of race day are small compared with the journeys faced by the children and families she cares for. As a paediatric oncologist and palliative care doctor, she has the privilege of walking alongside families through some of the most difficult seasons of their lives. Their courage and resilience inspire her every day. This year, she is running to raise funds for the Hamba Nawe Project, a paediatric palliative care service that supports children with life-limiting illnesses and their families. Every contribution helps provide practical support, comfort, memory-making opportunities and compassionate care to families when they need it most. (www.hambanawe.co.za) Her family will once again be standing along the route, cheering her on, and that support reminds her that none of us achieve anything meaningful alone. Comrades is about far more than an individual runner. It is a gathering of thousands of people from all walks of life, united by a shared challenge and a shared belief that we are capable of more than we imagine. For Dr Büchner, running Comrades is a celebration of endurance, community, gratitude and hope. It is a reminder that the greatest journeys are never travelled alone. #ComradesMarathon #RoadToComrades #UniversityOfPretoria