Tania Morkel raises funds for Wilderness Search and Rescue team that saved her life
Tania Morkel standing on top of Table Mountain on her 40th hike up.
Rondebosch resident, Tania Morkel, 65, is scaling Table Mountain multiple times to raise money for the Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR) that saved her life after she fell while hiking Table Mountain 18 months ago.
Morkel has been running the fundraising campaign since the end of March, dubbed 64x64 Table Mountain Ascents, where she ascends Table Mountain 64 times to raise funds.
'As I slowly regained my strength over the following months, I felt a deep desire to give back to WSAR, the team that was instrumental in saving my life in the initial stages,' she said.
Morkel said the team of WSAR consist mostly of volunteers who do rescues outside their busy work schedules, in tough conditions and pay for their own uniforms and equipment.
She is also raising funds for Table Mountain National Park, which she hopes will enhance footpaths and signage to inform hikers of potential dangers.
In September 2023, Morkel and her niece, Sita Poole, were hiking up Table Mountain, taking part in the 13 Peaks challenge, when on the contour path towards Platteklip Gorge, the ground collapsed and she fell 18 metres down a ravine.
While her niece called for help, an Austrian nurse who was hiking nearby, rushed to help her.
The WSAR team arrived first.
They stabilised her and called Air Mercy Services to evacuate her by helicopter.
A conservationist by profession, Morkel sustained multiple injuries, which included a fractured skull, a brain haemorrhage, vertebrae fractures, all left ribs broken, a punctured lung, her back pushed into scoliosis on impact, her spleen and kidney lacerated and a damaged liver.
She managed to make a full recovery and was able to resume hiking up Table Mountain four months after the accident.
While doing the fundraising challenge, she revisited an area close to where she fell.
'With the help of my trauma counsellor, I was able to work through it and could continue with new insight and peace of mind. I've loved almost every moment on the mountain, even though I have faced some external setbacks and exhaustion at times,' she said.
WSAR, in a statement shared on its Facebook page, described Morkel's efforts as "herculean" after she made a massive recovery.
The WSAR congratulated Morkel on her climbs and thanked her for her generosity and support.
So far, Morkel has managed to ascend Table Mountain 48 times, getting closer to the goal of 64, and has managed to raise over R74 000 on the Givengain fundraising platform.
If you would like to support Morkel's fundraising initiative, visit www.givengain.com/project/tania-raising-funds-for-2-causes-100269
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Rondebosch resident Tania Morkel, 65, has managed to successfully complete her 64 x 64 charity challenge to climb up Table Mountain 64 times in 64 days. Image: Supplied 'I'm so excited to get to the end of this, and that I've made it one piece, it wasn't always easy but I've managed to get quite fit in the end, and I feel very strong, and ready to take on the world.' Rondebosch resident Tania Morkel, 65, has successfully completed her 64 x 64 charity challenge to climb up Table Mountain 64 times in 64 days. She was motivated to do the challenge after overcoming immense odds. In 2023, Morkel suffered a life-threatening 18-meter fall down a ravine in Table Mountain National Park (TMNP). She was rescued by Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR) and spent 23 days in ICU, recovering from multiple serious injuries, including spinal fractures, a brain haemorrhage, and internal organ damage. Morkel said she suffered a punctured lung and spent three weeks on a ventilator. 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I knew that it was possible, but I was worried that I would get sick, or maybe the weather wouldn't allow it, and in the end everything worked out,' Morkel said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ 'I've been amazed that I got stronger and stronger towards the end. In a lot of ways, it mimics my time in the hospital… Once I knew that I would survive, I started fighting to get rid of all the pipes that were in me, and every day I listened to absolutely everything that the physios and doctors told me because I wanted to not only make it out of the hospital alive, but I wanted to thrive. 'I'm so proud that I could actually come out this strong, and that I've even gained strength throughout it, and also gained so much respect for the mountain and also all the people who have been there alongside me that have encouraged me,' Morkel said. She explained that although she managed to achieve her goals for the challenge, it wasn't always easy, and Day 18 especially proved to be challenging. 'On Day 18, I had taken a natural sleeping supplement, and I had a big reaction to it. It made me very dizzy, and I got nauseous, so my gardener was there to go up with me, just so that I wouldn't go alone, and he went up with me and made sure that I was fine." Rondebosch resident Tania Morkel, 65, has successfully completed her 64 x 64 charity challenge to climb Table Mountain 64 times in 64 days. Image: David Nel/WSAR/Supplied 'About a week after that, I couldn't eat, I was scared, and wondered what was going to happen. I don't know what it was, but it almost felt like it triggered a trauma response similar to when I was in hospital and when I used to be extremely dizzy and nauseous.' 'Thanks to a trauma counsellor who managed to help me through, and it really worked incredibly well at helping me accept that it was a trauma response, and that I deserve to be on the mountain,' Morkel said. 'From that time onwards… I learned to accept that I have a right to be on the mountain, and to enjoy the mountain, and make it my own experience." Morkel surpassed her goal of raising R100 000, with the total now sitting at R103 000. Eighty-percent will go to WSAR, which deals exclusively with search and rescue, and 20% of the funds go to TMNP. 'The money needs to go towards helping make the paths safer, so I am just overjoyed at being able to help, and that the money goes to very worthy causes.' Cape Times Rondebosch resident Tania Morkel, 65, has managed to successfully complete her 64 x 64 charity challenge to climb up Table Mountain 64 times in 64 days. Image: Supplied
