Local heroes complete Wines2Whales to support St Joseph’s Intermediate Paediatric Care

Two municipal employees who have been hailed as local heroes, completed the three-day mountain biking race Wines2Whales this month to raise funds for St Joseph’s Intermediate Paediatric Care.

Regan Bagley and Jermaine Carelse, who are usually at the frontlines keeping the public safe with backgrounds in law enforcement and firefighting respectively, said they were driven to take on the challenge of Wines2Whales by the commitment of the St Joseph’s staff, whom they describe as “The Avengers”.

St Joseph’s is a 175-bed facility that provides free, transitional care to children from vulnerable communities across the Western Cape. Referred by hospitals and healthcare providers throughout the Cape Metropole, these young patients face chronic conditions such as cerebral palsy, infectious diseases, brain injuries, neurological disorders, and cancer.

At St Joseph’s, they receive expert multidisciplinary, rehabilitative, and restorative care—bridging the critical gap between hospital and home.

The Wines2Whales race is part of the Epic Series, which draws riders from around the globe to tackle steep climbs, rugged trails and breathtaking landscapes of the Western Cape.

Bagley and Carelse went through numerous setbacks throughout the Wines2Whales event, particularly on the final day when Carelse had two accidents.

However, Carelse said the challenges experienced during the race did not compare to the sacrifices made by the patients at St Joseph’s. “I injured my elbow, hip, knee and knocked my head against a tree which broke my glasses in half, but I wouldn’t trade those moments for anything. The hills, the climbs, the struggles, the pain. Every day, the children of St Joseph’s were the heroes we looked up to. They remain the heroes and their struggle continues. That can never be forgotten.”

Bagley added: “I’ve been all over South Africa doing safety and security, putting my life at risk.But when you look at the individuals that take care of these young patients and have to wipe off tears and motivate and create an atmosphere of positivity and healing every day – they are the real heroes and that inspires me.”

In October, more than 500 participants from the City’s Safety and Security Directorate, which includes Fire & Rescue, Metro Police, Traffic Services, and Law Enforcement also partcipated in a  5km fun run held around the Rondebosch Common to raise funds for St. Josephs. 

Learners from the Public Safety Training College and The Fire and Rescue Training Academy also took part.

Staff could either take part or sponsor a colleague, with all proceeds going directly to St Joseph’s Intermediate Paediatric Care.

“Everyone had a fantastic time on the track, but what really resonated was seeing the children they were raising funds for join in the festivities and getting to interact with them,” said Tenille Emandien, head of Physical Fitness at the City's Public Safety Training College.

“The carers at the facility are doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, teachers, and occupational therapists, but they also take on the roles of parents and family. It takes remarkable people to do this work with such love and devotion, and I feel so fortunate to have been able to play a part in raising money for an institution like St Joseph’s.”

Cape Times