Tasleem Gierdien23 April 2025 | 8:02

Have medals lying around? Donate them to 'Bling for Bravery' and 'Operation Smile'

Here's how you can donate your medals to make kids going through life-saving surgery feel like the champions they are.

Have medals lying around? Donate them to 'Bling for Bravery' and 'Operation Smile'

If you've got some medals lying in a box at the back of a cupboard somewhere, this might be an opportunity to turn them into beacons of hope.

Bling for Bravery takes your marathon and triathlon medals and transforms them into tokens for children recovering from surgeries, chemotherapy, and major health challenges.

The concept is to distribute finishers’ medals from races of 5km, 10km, half marathons, through to ultra marathons, including triathlons, to children at hospitals to recognise and celebrate their bravery in dealing with their conditions.

The organisation works with The Little Optimist at the V&A Waterfront - sailing therapy for those in marginalised communities and differently abled, to teach them life skills - at the end of their training, they get rewarded with a medal.

The organisation also works with Operation Smile, which does operations for children in Africa with cleft lips or palates, and before their life-changing surgery, the child, parents, and doctor get a medal, like the champions they are.

"I've witnessed how a simple medal can add so much happiness to a child post-operation and confidence that they feel like they're the champion at the end of the day... Runners, swimmers, cyclists out there that want to contribute their medals to causes... please drop them off."
- Dean Dicks, Bling for Bravery

If you have medals you would like to donate, message Dean Dicks on 083 259 6220.

You can also drop them off at the Harfield Harriers Clubhouse or the Montebello Design Centre in Newlands, Cape Town.

If you're in Johannesburg, drop them off at Primedia's Head Office in Sandton and mark them for Africa Melane or Liezel van der Westhuizen's attention.

The organisation's next medals drive with Operational Smile takes place from 15 to 18 May at the Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital in Johannesburg.

You can also support Bling for Bravery by following them on social media @bling_for_bravery.

"Keep doing the miles to put smiles on the kids' faces."
- Dean Dicks, Bling for Bravery

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