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08 June 2022 | Story Andre Damons | Photo Reuben Maeko
Dr Nicholas Pearce, Head of the Department of General Surgery in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS), shows off his new socks with some of the students who came out to celebrate the day.

The high-pressure nature of working in the health sector and some of the conditions under which doctors have to work and to which they are exposed not only make them vulnerable, but it might have an effect on their mental state. 

It is for this reason that the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS) celebrates the
CrazySocks4Docs campaign each year. In order to create awareness on the importance of medical students’ mental health, Investec once again sponsored crazy socks for our undergraduate medical students this year, after a very successful CrazySocks4Docs Day in 2021. 

Crazy Socks for Docs was created in 2017 by Victorian doctor Geoff Toogood, who has a lived experience of depression and anxiety. 

After wearing odd socks to work one day, Dr Toogood found that people were talking behind his back and questioning his mental health. The reality was that his new puppy ate his socks, but he was struck by the stigma and discrimination still associated with mental health and well-being.

Angie Vorster, Clinical Psychologist from the School of Medicine in the Faculty of Health Sciences, says students and staff were encouraged to wear mismatched, colourful, crazy socks on 3 June 2022 in order to draw attention to the mental health and well-being of our medical students and medical doctors – who have carried us through more than two years of a pandemic. 

“The more we speak about mental health and change the narrative around mental illness as normal life experiences, the better we are able to reduce stigma and increase help-seeking behaviour among our healthcare professionals,” says Vorster.

Head of Surgery, Dr Nicholas Pearce; Acting Head of the School of Clinical Medicine, Prof Hanneke Brits; the Programme Director of the Undergraduate School of Clinical Medicine, Dr Yolandi Swart; and Arishka Kalicharan, the Phase I Chairperson, along with the School of Clinical Medicine's Clinical Psychologist, Angie Vorster, came to celebrate their socks with medical students. 

“The students took a break from studying for their exams to have some fun. Even though it was freezing outside, our toes were as warm as our hearts. A great big word of thanks to Investec for caring about our students' mental health and always supporting our endeavours in the Faculty of Health Sciences. It takes a village to train a doctor!’

News Archive

Kovsie student represents SA at Sudirman Cup in China
2009-05-26

The South African National Badminton Team recently represented South Africa at the Sudirman Cup in Guangzhou, China. The Sudirman Cup is the World Mixed-team Badminton Championships, which take place every two years.

Annari Viljoen, a Kovsie student and the brothers Chris and Roelof Dednam, former Kovsie students, were included in team that represented South Africa at the championships.

In the first match of the tournament, the Dednam brothers were the only victors when they won the mens doubles and defeated Paul Jefferson Vivas and Ronel Estanislao of the Philippines with 2117 and 2112.

In their second match, the South African team beat Luxembourg 41. In the mixed doubles the Dednams defeated Joe Michels and Yann Mellers with 2111 and 219 and in the womens doubles Michelle Edwards and Annari beat their opponents Anne Schumacher and Annick Weides with 1321 and 2224.

The South African team competed against Turkey in their third match and won 32, only losing the singles event. In the mens doubles the Dednams defeated Mehmet Tural and Ali Kaya with 2116 and 2113 and in the womens doubles Michelle Edwards and Annari beat Derya Calimbay and Oznur Caliskan with 2220 and 2117.

In the final group match team South Africa competed against Switzerland and lost 41 with only the mixed doubles pair of Dorian James and Annari winning their match against Anthony Dumartheray and Sabrina Jacquet with 1221, 2422 and 2119.

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