A new documentary called Breaths of Hope tells the story of Jason van’t Slot, a 31-year-old cyclist living with cystic fibrosis. The film will be shown at Active Hobo in Westlake, Cape Town, on 20 October at 6pm, IOL reported.
Van’t Slot was diagnosed with the condition when he was eight months old. Doctors told his parents he might only live to the age of 10.
“This isn’t just about racing a bike,” he said. “I want people to understand how life-changing access to medication can be. I hope my journey shows that cystic fibrosis doesn’t define a person’s potential.”
His parents chose not to let the diagnosis set limits on his life. They raised him to believe the condition should not decide what he could do.
He has since finished the Cape Epic mountain bike race. He has also ridden several Cape Town Cycle Tours in under three hours and set a cystic fibrosis Everesting record.
He qualified for the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in Japan after finishing in the top 1.5% of the Cape Town Cycle Tour. At the championships, he was the second best placed South African.
The film is part of a campaign by Breathtaking Fundraising NPC. The group wants to raise awareness of cystic fibrosis and collect money for people who live with it.
Cystic fibrosis affects how salt and water move through the body. For van’t Slot, this makes hydration one of the hardest parts of long rides.
“On long rides, particularly in the heat, I can lose large amounts of sodium very quickly if I don’t replace it. Simply drinking water isn’t enough,” he said.
Before his Everesting attempt, he worked with a dietitian. He also had sweat tests to learn how much sodium he loses while training.
He said he wakes up at 4am to train before work. He also manages insulin-dependent diabetes along with cystic fibrosis, so he said recovery matters as much as training.
A big change came in 2023. With help from Breathtaking Fundraising NPC, he got access to a treatment called a CFTR modulator.
Before that, he took up to 40 pills a day. He also needed daily nebulising and physiotherapy, regular hospital stays and antibiotics through a drip.
About 20 hours after his first dose, he said he took a free, open breath for the first time in 28 years.
“It felt like breathing crisp, fresh air for the very first time. The hypothetical chains around my chest broke and the weight lifted,” he said.
“For the first time, I wasn’t asking, ‘What can I achieve despite CF?’ I was asking, ‘What is my true potential?'” he added.
He described racing at the world championships as a privilege and thanked the people who supported him.
Tickets for the 20 October screening of Breaths of Hope are sold on Quicket.
Source: this article is based on reporting by IOL Entertainment. Image: IOL Entertainment. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Entertainment desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Rirhandzu Baloyi writes about entertainment for Tzaneen Voice. Rirhandzu covers South African music, film, TV, streaming, awards and celebrity news, from amapiano and local soapies to Showmax and Netflix releases. Stories stick to what happened, who was involved and when fans can watch or listen.