The UCT student will run the Nelson Mandela Marathon in October to raise R15,000 for children living with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
Cape Town, South Africa (20 September 2026) – Five years ago, Kigen Chepkonga could not have imagined signing up to run a marathon.
This October, the University of Cape Town student will take on the 42.2km Nelson Mandela Marathon not simply as a personal challenge, but to raise R15,000 for Arthritis Kids South Africa.
Kigen knows exactly what it means when a disease takes sport, movement and even everyday activities away from a young person.
He was diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis in 2020, after which things as ordinary as walking up stairs and playing the piano became difficult.
His condition eventually forced him off the Hilton College rowing team, leaving him convinced that his sporting journey had come to an end.
Now in his second year of Actuarial Science at UCT, Kigen is preparing to run a full marathon.
And he knows that opportunity is largely down to the treatment he was fortunate enough to receive.
“I am standing on the starting line today because I was fortunate enough to receive specialised medical care, early intervention, and effective medication.”
That is why his marathon is about more than completing 42.2km.
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Saturday Wrap Up: Finding the Good During a Difficult WeekFor those living with the condition, chronic pain, fatigue and stiffness can make something as simple as playing feel like a luxury.
As Dr Kay Redfield Jamison puts it: “Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity.”
Kigen understands that personally.
Before university, he was featured in Good Things Guy in 2023, where he spoke about living with JIA and how the condition shaped his high school experience.
His upcoming marathon is now another chapter in that story. Only this time, he is hoping his running can help other children get back to doing the things they love.
“Running 42.2 km is a privilege granted to me by treatment that every child deserves.”
Financial pressure can also make treatment difficult, with many diagnosed patients unable to access specialised medication, including biologics.
The funds Kigen raises through the marathon will go directly to Arthritis Kids South Africa, supporting educational resources and support networks for young patients and their families.
He is asking people to sponsor a kilometre, whether that means contributing R50, R150 or R500, or simply making a once-off donation.
For Kigen, every kilometre will carry a little more meaning knowing exactly how different life can look when the right treatment is available.
To support the cause, follow the link here.
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