If there’s one person who could have been forgiven for dropping out, it’s Izak Johan Haarhoff. The 28-yearold has battled near insurmountable odds that would’ve broken many people: the deaths of loved ones, crippling depression, paralysis and cancer.
But Izak didn’t give up – and he was rewarded for his tenacity and courage when he went on stage recently to be capped at his university graduation.
“It was an amazing experience,” Izak tells YOU. “It was great to have my parents there and to stand on stage and get an ovation was really nice. Knowing that everything had led to this conclusion left me in tears.”
Izak will always be grateful to his alma mater, Water Sisulu University (WSU) in Mthatha, Eastern Cape, for the support he received during his years at the institution. “WSU made me the person and the doctor I am today,” he says.
IZAK grew up in Warrenton near Kimberley in the Northern Cape with his parents, Anne-Marie and Kobus, and brothers, Theo (27) and Kobus Jnr (22). His dad is a GP and inspired Izak to follow in his footsteps.
“In the December holidays after Grade 11, I landed a position job-shadowing in the orthopedics department at the Kimberley Hospital Complex. I spent 150 hours gaining valuable insight into the life of a doctor,” he recalls.
This story is from the 9 December 2021 edition of YOU South Africa.
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This story is from the 9 December 2021 edition of YOU South Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
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