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16 February 2018
Photo Supplied
Thato Mosehle was recently crowned Miss Mamelodi Sundowns First Princess
“True beauty is how you make a person feel, and I believe that I’m very beautiful,” said Thato Mosehle; Miss Mamelodi Sundowns First Princess and UFS medical student.
When asked what she thought her edge was over the other contestants in the competition, Thato replied: “I will not speak about them. I will speak about myself and say it was the fact that I was true to who I am.” It is clear that Thato’s zealous character and clear sense of identity are among the determinants of her victory.
Thato explained that her journey began when she could no longer play for the provincial netball team due to an injury she incurred on the court. She was very disappointed because she was relying on her netball skills to help her obtain a bursary to fund her studies. Despite this adversity, Thato was determined to be active and do something significant and profitable with her time. She began entering beauty pageants in and around Bloemfontein, such as Miss Glamorous 2016, Miss Armentum 2017, and Miss Environment.
“True beauty is
the ability to
give someone a
sense of warmth
when you arrive.”
—Thato Mosehle
Miss Mamelodi Sundowns
First Princess.
She said her prime motivation for entering this particular pageant was the prize money she could win that would help fund her studies. She described how the UFS facilitated her triumph through the challenging analysis methods from which her studies and overall knowledge and confidence derived. Thato explained that she respected the Miss Mamelodi Sundowns pageant as it promoted the empowerment of women.
As a final-year medical student and Mamelodi Sundowns brand ambassador, Thato is smart enough to understand that with a specific title comes a definitive responsibility that you owe to yourself to fulfil. She explained that the essence of her win was that in the Free State, she was not just the 1st princess, she was the queen. Thato added that if students had a vision they should plan effectively and go for it.
Great turnout for Hannes Meyer Symposium in Cardiothoracic Surgery
2017-05-05
Symposium attendees watch attentively as
Dr Johan Brink demonstrated a MAZE procedure
with a pig’s heart.
Photo: Supplied
The University of the Free State’s Faculty of Health Sciences hosted the annual Hannes Meyer Symposium in Cardiothoracic Surgery. The symposium was organised by Prof Francis Smit, head of the department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the UFS, with the support from the Society of Cardiothoracic Surgeons of South Africa and the European Association of Cardiothoracic Surgery (EACTS). Over the past 16 years this symposium has steadily been growing in stature and prestige leading to the resounding success that was this year’s event.
Medical advancements explored
The aim of the symposium is to provide an overview of the latest advances in Cardiothoracic Surgery and perfusion as well as providing hands-on training via simulation to trainees from South Africa and the rest of the African continent. Didactic lectures and papers by registrars were an integral component of the symposium. The South African community was represented by various heads of departments, trainees, senior specialists and perfusionists from all the training centres in the country. There were also delegates representing Uganda, Mozambique, Nigeria and Zambia.
Heart surgery off to new heights
Simulation in Cardiothoracic Surgery and Perfusion can be compared to airline pilots with high risk, with complex surgeries being first done in simulators before being attempted in the real world. The UFS is proud to have a state-of-the-art simulation facility, which was used to facilitate the programme.
The range of simulation was extensive and included simple procedural models to complex full theatre setups with Human Performance Models in perfusion that simulated crisis scenarios with the aid of computerised devices that react in real time to human intervention.
Industry support highly appreciated
This event was coordinated by Dr Jehron Pillay, senior registrar in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Marilee Janse van Vuuren, deputy-director clinical technology, in the department. This was the first time that such extensive simulation models were used in the programme and judging from the positive response received, it has certainly set the benchmark for all future events.
The event has received invaluable support over the years from EACTS that has selected Bloemfontein as the site of its African training programme as a result of the high level of training and education achieved here.
The academic discussions were chaired by Profs Marko Turina and Jose Pomar (past presidents of EACTS) and Pieter Kappetein (past secretary general of EACTS) who are extremely well known internationally for their contribution to advancing Cardiothoracic training and education.
Our guests from EACTS presented didactical lectures on research methodology, international randomised trials and discussed recent developments and controversies in cardiothoracic surgery.
Registrars from all South African units presented a thoracic and cardiac surgery paper from each unit highlighting specific disease conditions, moderated by heads of departments and the international panel.
An event of this magnitude requires significant financial support and the medical industry in South Africa stepped up to the plate in providing financial and logistical support in order to make it possible.