Ora's passion for disability inclusion is evident in her desire for others to experience the same feeling of belonging that the event provides.
Image: Supplied
In October 2023, Oarabile, known to everyone as Ora, was a passenger in a car in Centurion when she was involved in a serious accident that left her with a broken neck. She was twenty years old, mid-degree, and a year into a sports marketing role with the Titans at SuperSport Park, working on campaigns that included the SA vs Australia international cricket series.
What followed was ICU, surgery, rehabilitation, and then the harder work of coming home. She fell into a depression that lasted close to two years, isolating herself and putting her studies on pause. The turning point came quietly with a personal decision in December to re-enrol, return to rehab, and keep moving forward.
Now 22, she is back completing her degree, advocating boldly for disability inclusion, and using her voice to champion the Wings for Life World Run, a global charity race dedicated to finding a cure for spinal cord injuries.
Wings For Life World Run Participants Image by Craig Kolesky
The Wings for Life World Run is unlike any race on earth. There are no set distances and no finish lines; instead, a Catcher Car launches 30 minutes after the start and hunts every participant down, accelerating until the last person standing is crowned global champion. Everyone, everywhere, starts at exactly the same time. In 2025, that was 310,719 runners across 170 countries, raising $9.6 million. Since 2014, the event has raised over 60 million euros with 100% of entry fees going directly to spinal cord research. Not some of it. All of it.
In South Africa, the atmosphere at the event is electric, with App Run Events scheduled for Cape Town, Pretoria, and, for the first time, Gqeberha in 2025.
Image: Supplied
South Africa hosts App Run Events in Cape Town and Pretoria, with Gqeberha added for the first time in 2025. The 2026 edition is on 10 May, with Cape Town's Green Point confirmed along the Sea Point Promenade.
For Ora, the event is personal in ways that go beyond the cause. "The first time I went to Wings for Life, it was actually the first time outside of rehab that I was around so many people in wheelchairs," she says. "At first it was overwhelming, but by the second event it became such a confidence booster it reminded me that life doesn't stop."
That's what she wants more people to feel. "Wings for Life is deeper than just an event that raises money for spinal cord injuries; it also gives people in wheelchairs a sense of confidence and belonging."
Wings For Life World Run Participants Image by Mpumelelo Macu
In Short
"This year I'm looking forward to seeing even more people, from wheelchair users to able-bodied people, come together because that's what makes the event so powerful," added Ora.
Register now at wingsforlifeworldrun.com. Run for those who can't.