#FeelGoodTuesday: Meet one of South Africa's youngest doctors on the frontline
In a world where we are bombarded with one negative story after the other, it is always great to come across a story that inspires you and makes you beam with pride.
One such story for Stacey and J Sbu is that of one of South Africa's youngest medical doctors. Her name is Thakgalo Thibela.
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Can you remember what you were doing at the age of 21? Were you still in school, perhaps contemplating what your career move would be or were you like J Sbu, considering taking a gap year?
The age of 21 is a significant year for many. It is said to be the year that most people come into their own, the certified adult age. Whilst many of her peers are still in school, Thakgalo is scrubbing up at Helen Joseph Hospital in Johannesburg as a frontline worker.
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Thakgalo recently received her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from the University of Witwatersrand.
When asked what it has been like being on the frontline of the global pandemic at such a young age, Thakgalo had the following to share:
“The number of patients who test positive for Covid-19 daily that we have to treat is scary. It’s made worse when people say we are killing their family members when we are literally doing our best, barely sleeping. I made the choice to come to the Helen Joseph and while it has been challenging, I have enjoyed my time. There’s a lot of support and you never feel alone. I’m looking forward to the two years that I’ll be spending here
Being a medical doctor was a dream fullfilled for Thakgalo, who had always wanted to be in the medical field as a youngster who grew up in Bushbuckridge in Mpumalanga.
I remember when I had to apply for university and I had to choose three fields of study, I didn’t know which other things to choose besides medicine, so I literally just chose the others randomly and hoped that I got my first choice. My parents are educated, so education is something that is emphasised at home. I was fortunate to grow up in a middle-class home, so almost everything we required was provided and any study guides I needed I got. I guess that helped me better focus on my studies. My family are very proud of me
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What an inspiring story!
Your dreams are valid, provided that you work hard at achieving them!
Image credit: Thakgalo Thibela Facebook page.
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