Joburg woman finishes epic N1 walk to Cape Town for husband's rare disease 10 days early
Nicole Liedemann-Telukram completed her 1 400km walk from Johannesburg to Cape Town 10 days ahead of schedule, raising awareness and funds for her husband Shaun's rare condition, Dercum's disease.
Supported throughout the journey by her best friend, Paballo, in a safety vehicle and her trusty boerboel, Zaza, Nicole described the journey as physically and emotionally transformative, highlighting the mental endurance required and the generosity of South Africans along the way.
The campaign has raised R15 000 so far, and Nicole remains committed to fighting for rare disease research and funding, saying, 'This is just the start.'
Nicole Liedemann-Telukram has completed her 1 400km walk from Johannesburg to Cape Town, 10 days ahead of schedule.
Just over a month ago, Nicole decided to embark on a journey along the N1 to raise awareness and funds for her husband Shaun Telukram's rare disease, called Dercum's disease.
She documented the trip on TikTok and directed followers to her fundraising platforms.
- See Nicole's BackaBuddy page
More than a month after starting the walk, she arrived in sunny Cape Town to take a photo at the famous V&A Waterfront sign.
Her journey was not without difficulties. A pulled hamstring just after Lainsburg and the physical demands of walking the Huguenot Tunnel tested her endurance. One of the most physically taxing parts of her journey was near Colesberg when she battled blisters and the flu.
'My body felt like it was giving up on me,' Nicole told News24 in Cape Town.
'When you are walking, it's only yourself and your thoughts. I don't walk with earphones in; it's just myself and the road. Your mind gets to you, where you feel self-doubt, but you have to pull yourself towards yourself and remind yourself the reason why you are doing it.'
While the first leg of the journey began with excitement, the second half became more difficult.
'It's not just about Dercum's, it's about so many things,' she said.
Nicole expressed deep gratitude for the support of her best friend, Paballo, who accompanied her by car for the entire journey for safety and her trusty boerboel, Zaza.
'Paddy, my sister, my best friend, motivator, Swiss Army knife, master of all... I could not be more grateful. I don't think there are enough words to describe how blessed I was to have had her on this journey. Yes, I was walking, but I could not have done it without her.'
Supplied/Neo Paballo-Mahao
Because the pair remained vigilant, they generally felt safe on their journey. One hair-raising moment came in Paarl, where they heard that a body had been found nearby. This did not deter them: 'There was a task that needed to be completed, a personal task, a mental task, an emotional task, a physical task. And yes, we completed it. I'm still in awe.'
Kind South Africans and the plight goes on
Nicole arrived in Cape Town last week with a deep sense of fulfilment.
'I sat there in silence with a big smile on my face. We did it. I actually did it. When you do something out of your comfort zone and succeed, it takes you back a little. I was filled with emotion, excitement and fulfilment.'
READ | Joburg woman halfway through N1 walk to Cape Town, beating blisters, blessed by strangers
Messages of pride and congratulations from family and friends continue to pour in.
'I hope I reached the people I needed to. The people we spoke to along the way made it all worthwhile. Mentally, I'm okay – I haven't processed everything yet, but I'm still extremely positive and optimistic.'
The campaign has so far raised around R15 000 and Nicole is determined to continue her fundraising efforts and search for sponsors, as they aim to reach R200 000. Dr Karen Herbst, one of the leading Dercum's researchers in the world, based in the US, also got in touch to amplify Nicole's efforts.
'We did not raise too much, but my plight has not stopped. I'm still continuing to raise awareness and funds. We didn't raise much at all, but it doesn't take away from the reason why I did this and why I am still going to continue to fight for a rare disease and for my husband.'
Rare disease research is underfunded. We need chemical pathologists to do the work, but we also need the funding. My mission is not complete yet.
Reflecting on the experience, Nicole said the journey was unforgettable.
'South Africa is a beautiful place. People in small towns are kind and generous. The trucking community became our cocoon of safety. We stayed at truck stops. There are so many people I want to thank. There are a lot of amazing people in this country.'
'This is just the start.'
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