Let's Get Solo home!!

****UPDATE****

Solo is going home!!!!

This morning we have had some wonderful news. Thanks to a private donor, Solo Nqweni will now be able to return home imminently.

With the help of a private donor coupled with all of your efforts , and amazing support ,we have achieved our objective and hence will cease the fundraising efforts.

Solo and the entire Nqweni family, cricketing community at large and World Sports Xchange wish to sincerely thank each and every person that has donated, shared links on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and written or read about Solo's story. We are truly touched by the overwhelming support as this would not have been achieved so soon. We are eternally grateful for kindness and generosity of spirit shown.

Aberdeenshire Cricket Club, Cricket South Africa, The incredible medical team at Royal Aberdeen Infirmary , World Sports exchange , the cricket community and the Nqweni family have provided Solo with such wonderful support and their efforts cannot be overstated.

Please join us in wishing Solo the speediest of recoveries and we cannot wait to see this wonderful young man get back on the playing field as soon as possible!!

God bless you all.

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Solo Nqweni, a talented Professional Cricketer from South Africa, headed to Aberdeenshire Cricket Club in 2019 for his first placement as an Overseas Professional, something he had longed to do for a number of years.

After an excellent start to his first time here, Solo picked up what he thought was just a bit of a virus. A couple of days later Solo was placed into an induced coma in July 2019.

He was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome. Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare condition affecting the nerves that control our senses and movements (peripheral nerves) including the facial nerve. The disease essentially tricks the nervous system which results in the immune system attacking its own body with most damage to the nerves .

This left an outstanding, professionally-trained athlete, paralyzed , unable to eat, move or breath on his own. His own body was to become his toughest rival. 

Fortunately, GBS does not affect the mind clinically but the prospect of spending 6-12 months in hospital unable to do what most of us take for granted could defeat most of us. Not Solo.

Solo, with the support of his absolutely amazing family, is improving every day and now is able to perform tasks like eating, the most necessary of human functions, with little assistance.

Solo's family, who have ensured that he is never without someone by his side, costing them tens of thousands of pounds, have been simply incredible, working in shifts to make sure he is supported at all times while he recovers and heads ultimately to a long road of rehabilitation.

His spirit has remained strong. Firstly in October, Solo was able to record a good luck message to the Springboks, which took some effort for him but we reckon the message reached the right people and they collected "Bill" for a 3rd time.

Solo was further buoyed in December with a visit from Ben  & Clare Stokes, who were in Aberdeen for the Sports Personality of the year awards and spent the afternoon beforehand with Solo. We reckon he proved a lucky charm once again, with Ben winning SPOTY for his 2019 exploits.


In some wonderful news, Doctors have confirmed that Solo, with the right medical support, can be flown back to South Africa and admitted to an excellent clinic in Johannesburg to continue his treatment and recovery.

Solo unfortunately was admitted to hospital 3 days after the expiration of his medical cover for Overseas trips. As a legal worker, his care has been covered by the NHS but getting him home is not.

This is where we would like to please appeal to your generosity and need your help!

The cost to transport Solo home from Aberdeen to Johannesburg is no less than £84,750. This cost involves

- Specialist Air Ambulance transfer from Aberdeen to Johannesburg
- Non-stop Medical support during travel to the Airport, on the plane and to the Hospital in Johannesburg 
- A seat on the plane for one of his family members to travel with him

This volume of money is a massive ask for anyone, any family or any organisation to cover by themselves. 

We ask you to please share Solo's story, donate no matter how little and help us get Solo home.