The Radiation Oncology Department at Groote Schuur Hospital in collaboration with Radiography at CPUT recently held a joint Open Day.

On 17 March 2010, five schools from the Western Cape and individuals from as far afield as Worcester and Villiersdorp descended on the Groote Schuur Campus, seeking more information about radiography and in particular radiotherapy.

The day was dedicated to the learners and CPUT’s first year students while second and third years assisted as marshals and tour guides.

The radiation therapy professionals who are already qualified and working at the hospital explained to school learners and first year students what their profession entails.

The Centre of Science and Technology (Cosat), Wittebome High School, Islamiah College, Masiphumelele High School and Garlandale High School were among the high schools that attended the Open Day.

Radiography is made up of four disciplines: Diagnostic Radiography, Nuclear Medicine, Ultrasound and Radiation Therapy.

The Senior Lecturer Prof Penelope Engel-Hills said: “Radiation Therapy is still a relatively unknown specialist discipline. The Open Day is giving us a chance to show-case to various communities out there that this is a good career option.”

The learners were taken to various stations, which included Out-patient Clinic areas, the Mould Room and the Linear Accelerator treatment unit, among others.

Jamie-Lee van Niekerk, a second-year Radiotherapy student and one of the marshals, said: “It has been great to assist the learners. All the groups I was dealing with were very enthusiastic as they asked a lot of questions.”

The Open Day was also open to first year Radiography students who all need to know about radiation oncology. Some may decide to swop to radiotherapy from another category since the first year is nearly the same for all four types of radiography.

“Putting together the Open Day was a team effort, but a special mention goes to Mrs Liz Greeff and her team of radiation therapists at Groote Schuur Hospital who put in so much effort and hard work to promote the profession. Two of our lecturers Liezel Hudson and Bridget Wyrley-Birch also deserve thanks for their major contribution,” said Dr Engel-Hills.

The department particularly targeted schools that are science and mathematics strong, which is in line with the department’s minimum requirements.

Wyrley-Birch said: “I am very happy with the quality of the Open Day. It really exceeded our expectations. Organising this was a team effort. The number of applications we are going to receive will determine whether the learners were impressed or not.”

Information regarding salary scales, job opportunities and approximate numbers of positions for Radiation Therapists in the country was provided to the learners.

Sabeeha Khamissa, a second-year student and tour guide, said through providing the learners with information, she also learnt a lot.

“The learners were asking a lot of questions that required us to think on our feet,” she said.

Although this is the first Radiation Oncology Open Day in fifteen years, the department holds tours once a month throughout the year that include all Radiography disciplines at no cost. All learners are welcome.

By Andiswa Dantile

Photograph: Learners find out more about radiation therapy as a career at Radiation Oncology Open Day.

Written by CPUT News
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This first-year Management student looks the picture of health but one glance at his toned stomach reveals the scars of over 25 operations.

Martinique Du Preez was once dubbed the Miracle Boy by surgeons at Groote Schuur Hospital because he beat the odds to receive not one but two kidneys. His miraculous story is even more special because he then went on to earn his place on the South African Transplant Games team and last year broke five SA Transplant records in one day.

Martinique says he astounded even himself when he broke those records at the Transplant National Games. The sporting codes he broke are 100m sprint, 200m sprint, javelin, long jump and ball throw.

“I just went to enjoy myself and as I kept breaking the records I felt that it couldn’t be me doing these things,” he says.

“It was even more surprising because in the past I have struggled to qualify for the team.”

Martinique says the standards for Transplant Athletes are equally stringent to that of regular ones.

“The standards are always high whether you are a transplant or paraplegic athlete. So the athletes you see at these games are the best of the best,” he says.

Martinique was diagnosed with end-stage kidney failure when he was 13 years old. He received his first kidney donation from his mother however that organ was rejected after only six hours.  The likelihood of finding a second suitable donor was slim because of his rare blood type AB+. Then news came that he was a match for a donor kidney from a young man his age who was fatally shot on the Cape Flats.

Martinique is now raising funds to attend the World Transplant Games to be held in Malaga Spain in June. 

Written by Lauren Kansley
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Liaises with the media and writes press releases about interesting developments at CPUT

The first group of CPUT health workers to be vaccinated against Covid-19 have expressed their gratitude for being part of the “ground-breaking process”.

Some of the members of the group of 20, which consisted of 18 lecturers in the Department of Nursing Science and two professional nurses from CPUT Health Clinics and the HIV/Aids Unit, shared their stories after being vaccinated at Groote Schuur Hospital last Thursday.

The Department of Nursing Science’s Dr Rugira Marie Modeste said the injection was like any other injection, “stings a bit, then it was over, but not before my picture was taken”.

“By the grace of God, I did not get any complication, and nobody had such [an] unfortunate experience while I was there. This was an exciting moment. It made me realise how fortunate we are to live in this time where science has advanced and works for the better health of people around the world. I reflected on those that have succumbed to Covid-19, and made me wish and send a prayer that we get to reach a time when dying of covid-19 is as rare as dying of one of those ancient diseases. This gave me hope and excited me.”

The Department of Nursing Science’s Lwandile Tokwe admitted that even as a professional nurse, he was initially scared, but it turned out to be a positive experience.

“When I got to the vaccination station, the vaccinator (Registered Nurse) was very friendly and she explained all the steps, explained the side effects that may occur and the site that will be used in administering the vaccine and the reason why. Just by hearing that, I immediately felt at ease and it reminded me why I wanted to be vaccinated in the first place. Me being me, I requested to see the needle just before she administered the dose and I told her to go ahead.”

He waited for 15 minutes inside the station to be observed for possible side effects and Tokwe said that during that time, he didn’t experience any side effects.  

“It was a positive experience and I'm grateful to be amongst the first CPUT staff to be vaccinated. “

Here are what some of the other CPUT health workers had to say about the experience:

Avril Sampson (CPUT Health Clinics): “This is a wonderful experience to be part of this ground-breaking process. The whole process was done smoothly and efficiently. This really eases any trepidation or fear one experiences prior to the vaccination".

Siphesihle Hlophe (Department of Nursing Science): “We arrived at Groote Schuur Hospital and the staff were so welcoming. To my surprise, our names were already there and were submitted by Prof Jooste (HOD of Nursing Science). In a way, I felt like a VIP during the process".

Chumani Nyezi (Department of Nursing Science): “I was attended by a lovely paediatric doctor and had the opportunity to converse with her and her assistant. I had to be with them for about 15 minutes as they had to wait for the next batch to be opened and prepared. She saw that I was anxious when I arrived at their station as I just took off my jacket and prepared my left arm. I was made comfortable through the conversation and I relaxed.”

Siya Maila (Department of Nursing Science): "The process went smoothly, everything was well coordinated. Marshalls and health workers were very friendly and helpful".

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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The Department of Medical Imaging and Therapeutic Sciences (MITS) recently hosted two students, Julie van Herck and Sien Paelinckx from Odisee University in Brussels, Belgium on a four-month clinical internship.

The MITS Department and Odisee University have an eight-year international exchange collaboration.

Guiding the students’ clinical training journey from January to April 2024, was Dr Aladdin Speelman, the international exchange programme coordinator in the MITS Department. Prior to commencement of the exchange programme, Speelman played an integral role in ensuring the registration of students with the Health Professions Council of South Africa and orientation within the Groote Schuur Hospital, amongst others. During the 2024 exchange programme, Speelman was supported by three academics within MITS department – Valdiela Daries, Yanda Peters and Heidi Thomas.

During their time in Cape Town, Julie and Sien completed clinical training in the Radiography department at Groote Schuur Hospital. They gained experience in a wide range of procedures including imaging of trauma patients and those with uncommon and rare diseases, often not seen in developed countries such as Belgium.

The two students’ experiences extended beyond the hospital environment. They had the opportunity to interact professionally and socially with CPUT students and academics, they travelled the Garden Route and explored the picturesque Cape Winelands while enriching their understanding of diverse South African cultures.

In March this year, the exchange programme saw Peter on a staff exchange to Odisee university. Peter spent a week at Odisee University and participated in teaching Odisee students during clinical tutorials on Angiography and Interventional Procedures. “I was thrilled to discover that our programme matched the standards of Belgium, a first-world country, especially in terms of the content covered in the afore-mentioned topics. This enabled me to actively engage and contribute meaningfully during tutorials, despite encountering some language challenges”.

Looking into the future, the four-month exchange period marks the continuation of a promising collaboration between CPUT and Odisee University. Through continued partnership, the MITS Department aims to create opportunities for Radiography students to visit Belgium in the near future.

Written by CPUT News
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