A breast cancer diagnosis is often spoken about in clinical terms, but for Dr Ina Vorster it became the beginning of a story that would take years to find its voice. Now, that story has earned national recognition after she was awarded the Marius Jooste Prize for her master’s dissertation in creative writing at the University of the Free State (UFS).

As she prepares to graduate this autumn, the recognition marks more than an academic milestone. It reflects a body of work that connects personal experience with wider meaning – something she will carry beyond her time at the UFS.

Dr Vorster, an anaesthetist by profession, turned to writing in Afrikaans to make sense of her experience and to reach others navigating similar journeys. Her work moves beyond medical language, offering a personal account shaped by nearly two decades of living with the realities of the disease.

From lived experience to recognised scholarship

The Marius Jooste Prize is awarded annually for the best master’s dissertation in Afrikaans across selected South African universities and is administered by the South African Academy for Science and Art. Sponsored by the Dagbreek Trust, the award recognises academic excellence while honouring the legacy of publishing pioneer Marius Visser Jooste.

For Dr Francois Smith, head of the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, German and French, the recognition carries weight beyond the individual achievement. “It is important that the work of students in our department is noticed and valued. We are a small department, and there is a global tendency to regard the study of language and literature as of lesser importance.”

Dr Vorster’s manuscript draws directly from her own life, beginning with a Stage III breast cancer diagnosis in 2007 and the uncertainty that followed. While searching for guidance during her treatment, she found little that reflected her experience, which led her to begin documenting her own journey.

“I realised that there is a lot of common ground in the life story of cancer patients … however, the individual narrative remains paramount. I wanted to share my story – making it available to others that might be walking through libraries and bookstores, looking for some guidance and encouragement on their breast cancer journey.”

Although her notes remained untouched for years, her decision to pursue a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing at the UFS created the space to return to them – and to shape them into the work she now completes as a graduating student.

Dr Smith notes that Dr Vorster’s path into the discipline was not conventional. “Although she is a highly experienced anaesthetist, she had no prior experience or training in creative writing. She had, however, a remarkable story to tell, as well as the perseverance and the receptiveness to guidance needed to ensure that this story got written.”

The moment of recognition came quietly. Dr Vorster recalls reading the email informing her of the award several times before the reality settled in. “After reading it five times, I started to realise what I have achieved by sharing my life with cancer. I am still pinching myself to make sure it is not just a dream.”

Beyond the personal milestone, the work speaks to a wider audience. Her writing reflects not only the experience of a patient, but also the impact of illness on families, colleagues, and support systems that often remain in the background.

“My wish is that the creative writing approach of sharing my journey might enlighten and empower others who either find themselves in a similar situation or are just trying to make sense of it all. A breast cancer diagnosis reaches much further than the patient only.”

For the department, the award signals both recognition and possibility. “It is important for us to reward excellence and to recognise students who produce work of exceptional quality. In this way, the wider world also remains aware that the UFS has students of high calibre,” Dr Smith says.