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The three academics who are making a difference in the lives of hundreds of people on a daily basis, are Profs Ute Hallbauer, David Griessel, and Jan du Plessis.

Drug-resistant tuberculosis and diabetics

Prof Hallbauer, the first female professor in the department, works as a consultant senior paediatrician in the Pelonomi and Universitas hospitals. She has proven herself to be a champion in rendering a comprehensive service in paediatric infectious diseases, including paediatric tuberculosis and the specialised area of paediatric drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB).

According to Dr Tabane, when Prof Hallbauer started working with children with drug-resistant tuberculosis in the province in 2006, she reached a success rate of more than 95% compliance and cure of this disease.

It was good to reap the benefits of improved diagnostics and treatment for this disease, says Prof Hallbauer, who initially did not like the topic of TB. “Once my knowledge improved and I diagnosed and managed some difficult situations, it was amazing to see what there is to learn and how much one can do to help children affected by TB. It is worrying that the disease is still so prevalent among children in South Africa,” she says.

Prof Hallbauer also renders a comprehensive service in paediatric diabetes in the Free State and assists doctors from the Northern Cape with advice. Her work includes contributing to the training of dietetics students, where she focuses on food choices for children with diabetes.

“Children with diabetes have taught me a lot of patience. I have learnt to individualise my approach to each child/parent and to never give up and to teach, re-teach and re-teach. Working with the Department of Dietetics and Nutrition to run a Kids Diabetes Camp every year has been a wonderful experience which has benefited everyone: the children, the students, the teachers,” says Prof Hallbauer.

Developmental paediatrics and autism spectrum conditions

Prof Griessel is currently one of two neurodevelopmental paediatricians in the Free State and Northern Cape area and is playing a key role in raising awareness about autism and autism spectrum disorders, both at national and international level. This led to him being elected as a member of the National Executive Committee of Autism South Africa and the Global Senior Leader Committee representing South Africa at the leading world society for autism research, namely the International Society for Autism Research. He was also one of the founders of the Autism Support Centre at the UFS and recently played a significant role in opening the School for Autism just outside Bloemfontein.

He is a firm believer in the critical importance of early child development to thrive in life. The work he is doing has embedded autism in the broader context of child development and is based on recent work in the basic sciences on childhood brain development.

“I am humbled to have interacted with so many autistic adults, young people, children, and families living with autism, who taught me about the real strengths of diversity and demonstrated the courage to persist in the face of adversity,” says Prof Griessel, who finds pleasure in interaction with children and young adults with autism. “Their emotions and feelings come from a pure place and motivate me to continue to be of service,” he says.

Paediatric oncology and paediatric haematology

One of the youngest paediatricians to be promoted to associate professor in the department is Prof Du Plessis, who has proven himself to be a champion in rendering a comprehensive and multidisciplinary service in the field of paediatric oncology and paediatric haematology, with a particular focus on palliative care.

“I always wanted to work with children and their families, and the holistic approach enticed me. It is a privilege to walk the cancer journey with these children and their families, from diagnosis to sometimes the end of life and thereafter.”

“Children are amazing, they have so much joy and unconditional love, and the oncology children are in a completely different league. Where else would you find children calling you their ‘pappa’ or a 15-year-old black girl telling the whole school ‘I have a white father’. It is such a privilege,” he says.

Prof Du Plessis, who was also rated the best lecturer by the medical students in 2020, says besides his fondness for working with children and their families, he unexpectedly fell in love with student teaching. “It is a huge responsibility, but so rewarding to play a small role in shaping the minds of tomorrow’s doctors. It is amazing to witness them experiencing the light-bulb moments and rekindle a passion for the occupation by just spending time with them and being an example of what it looks and feels like to enjoy your work.”