Instructors
SHIHAN SHANE DORFMAN Director and Head of Martial Arts and Programme Training in SA
Dr. Shane Dorfman is a specialist medical doctor (radiologist) and the 7-time open KWF world karate champion and former World Shotokan Karate Association open fighting champion. Shane facilitates the selection and training of volunteers for the programme. He started karate in 1981 at the age of 6 and he is also the former World Karate Federation All Africa senior open and junior world grand champion. Shane Shihan is a former Protea team captain, and was senior South African All-Style champion for 8 consecutive years, before retiring undefeated. He is the youngest ever 7th Dan in a mainstream Japanese karate organisation and is one of only 14 people worldwide to sit on the Karatenomichi World Federation Supreme Master Panel.
SENSEI MOSES SEBOPA Programme Coordinator
Moses Sebopa is a fifth Dan black belt in Shotokan KWF Karate and a 2 times KWF South African Kumite Champion. He is a two-times international Kanazawa cup open Kumite champion, and was the runner up at the 7th KWF World Championship in Japan where he also won gold in the team Kumite event. Moses answered his calling in 2015 to teach children Karate by leaving his day job as an electronics production manager to be a full time Karate instructor.
“They say when you talk you repeat what you already know and when you listen you learn something. I am constantly learning by listening to the kids. While others might see darkness in the illness, we at KKC see light in all the children we work with” – Sensei Mo’
“They say when you talk you repeat what you already know and when you listen you learn something. I am constantly learning by listening to the kids. While others might see darkness in the illness, we at KKC see light in all the children we work with” – Sensei Mo’
Western Cape SENSEI ILZE VAN DER MERWE Cape Town Programme Coordinator
Ilze started Karate at a tender age of ten, working her way through a plethora of competitions in various Club Championships excelling to the National Championships from the age of 14 and reaching WUKF World Championships in 2018, obtaining silver medals in both Kata and Team Kumite.
Ilze has been teaching Karate for the past 20 years, currently a 4th Dan black belt managing two Dojos in Rondebosch and Helderberg. Her journey with KKC has been an exciting one, one that she has embraced with open arms.
“I believe our vision is to equip as many children as we can reach, with a programme that they can take with them for life, not just in their struggle with Illness but in any life changing event, stress, fear, anger and frustration” – Sensei Ilze
“I believe our vision is to equip as many children as we can reach, with a programme that they can take with them for life, not just in their struggle with Illness but in any life changing event, stress, fear, anger and frustration” – Sensei Ilze
GAUTENG SENSEI SU DAL COL
Su has been practicing karate for over 20 years and have been teaching karate to children of all ages for 15 years. She is a 5th Dan and has since joined the Kids Kicking Cancer Johannesburg team.
“I am always in awe of these children, they are so brave and Powerful facing their illness and the treatment that follows. The children we see are Heroes in the true sense, they teach me so much about Faith, Love, the importance of family, Power and Resilience.”
Sensei Birgitt Smit Martial Arts Therapist/ Instructor Western Cape
I started doing karate with my eldest son, 21 years ago. It soon became a family sport when my other son, daughter and husband also joined. The karate became our extended family and we met people from all walks of life, from all around the world.
When I was introduced to the KKC program, it also felt like a family driven organization which made me feel right at home.
The martial arts journey has taken me down this unexpected but totally rewarding and fulfilling path and I am truly humbled by our brave warriors. Each day they help me rediscover the meaning of Power, Peace, and Purpose.
THE TEAM
Rabbi G
Rabbi Elimelech Goldberg
(Founder and Director)
Clinical Assistant Professor of Paediatrics at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Rabbi G holds a First Degree Black Belt in the Korean art of Choi Kwang Do. Having lost his first child to leukemia at the age of two, his dream of bringing healing through the empowering focus of the martial arts resulted in the creation of the Kids Kicking Cancer organisation in 1999.
Rabbi G holds a First Degree Black Belt in the Korean art of Choi Kwang Do. Having lost his first child to leukemia at the age of two, his dream of bringing healing through the empowering focus of the martial arts resulted in the creation of the Kids Kicking Cancer organisation in 1999.
DR. RICHARD FRIEDLAND
(CHAIRPERSON)
Chief Executive Officer of Netcare and board member of various NGOs and community organisations.
PROFESSOR ALAN DAVIDSON
Head of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, Director of Postgraduate Education at University of Cape Town, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health,President of the College of Paediatrics of SA and Co-Chair of the International Society of Paediatric Oncology in Developing Countries (PODC).
Professor Janet E. Poole
Principal Paediatrician and Head of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, and senior lecturer at Wits University Faculty Health Sciences. Professor Poole has worked in paediatric haematology and oncology at the Charlotte Maxeke Hospital since 1985, where she now heads up the department and is a principal specialist at the University of the Witwatersrand.
Melissa Platt
Palliative, business and personal coach, advocate for family and patient centered
healthcare and founder of Footprints 4 Sam, established in memory of her son, Samuel.
Melissa has studied a Post Graduate Diploma in Palliative Medicine at UCT, Coaching at the Centre of Coaching at UCT Business School, and has a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Rhodes University.
Dr. Gita Naidu
Dr Naidu is the clinical head of unit, Paediatric Haematology-Oncology, Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, and University of the Witwatersrand. She is also part of various clinical trials and research projects in paediatric oncology. She is the current chair of the South African Children’s Cancer Study Group.
Letshego Zulu
A biokineticist by profession who works to inspire many South Africans to keep healthy and active through her health & fitness company, PopUpGym. Her passion for everything concerning young children developed when she had her own little girl in 2015. She volunteers her time to a variety of NGO’s as a way of giving back to the greater community.
