Some journeys are measured in kilometres. Others are measured in the people you meet and the moments you carry with you long after the road ends.
For JMC, the 2026 Seven7 Drive began with both.
Since 2015, the Seven7 Drive NPO has conducted an annual cross-country journey across South Africa to support children fighting cancer and raise awareness for childhood cancer. By partnering with automotive brands, corporate sponsors, and dedicated volunteers, the organization visits hospitals and care facilities to deliver comfort packs, essential supplies, and moments of joy to affected families. Through these long-distance drives and community outreach, Seven7 Drive provides an impactful Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) platform that connects people and businesses, turning every kilometre into action, hope, and solidarity.
Invited to take part in the nationwide Seven7 Drive alongside fellow automotive brands, JMC joined a journey with a purpose far greater than the distance on the odometer. Taking place during September, Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, the drive brought together people and organisations committed to supporting children living with cancer and the families standing beside them.
Crossing seven provinces in seven days, the 2026 Seven7 Drive was an intense 5,000-kilometer journey through relentless rain, heavy mud, and unexpected road closures. Despite the challenging conditions, the team pushed through to visit eight hospitals and bring hope to young cancer patients—proving that no road is too tough when driven by purpose.
Starting with day 1, the first stop was Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria.
And almost immediately, the road trip became something much more personal. Realising that making the children and families feel a little less lonely.
The team delivered 17 care packages to children in the paediatric oncology ward, spending time with young patients and their families and sharing moments of encouragement, prayer and human connection.
The trip kicked off the 24th of September, Heritage Day, and all was welcomed with nurses dressed in their traditional clothing, adding a sense of warmth and celebration to a place where families are often facing incredibly difficult circumstances.
For the JMC team, meeting the children brought the purpose of the Seven7 Drive into sharp focus.
These were not simply hospital visits or care packages being handed over. They were opportunities to sit with families, hold a hand, share a smile and, even for a moment, bring some light into an incredibly difficult chapter of a child's life.
September's Childhood Cancer Awareness Month serves as an important reminder that childhood cancer affects far more than the child receiving treatment. It affects parents, siblings, families and entire communities. For many of those families, accessing specialised treatment can also mean travelling significant distances from home.
The Seven7 Drive set out to meet some of those families where they were.
From Pretoria, the convoy travelled north to Polokwane, where another 20 care packages were delivered.
The contrast between the excitement of the road and the reality inside the hospital was difficult to ignore. The team encountered children facing battles far beyond their years, as well as parents carrying the immense weight of uncertainty and hope.
Yet, even in those difficult surroundings, there were smiles.
For JMC, those moments became some of the most powerful of the first day. They served as a reminder that while a care package may be a small gesture, the act of showing up can mean so much more.
By the end of Day One, 37 care packages had been delivered between Pretoria and Polokwane.
But the number that mattered most could not be counted, it was found in the smiles of the children, the gratitude of their parents and the quiet moments shared inside the wards.
For JMC, the first day of the Seven7 Drive was a powerful reminder that sometimes going further isn't about how far you can travel.
It's about who you choose to show up for along the way.
Built for more. Driven by purpose.
